Rangers and Pirates
by Psycho Elf v2.0
Summary: *REposted after a 3year absence!* LOTR/POTC crossover: Injured on his way to visit his dear friend Legolas, a young Estel is taken to a new world of men and pirates. while back in Middle Earth, Legolas and Aragorn's family work desperatly to get him back
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything in reguards to LORD OF THE RINGS OR POTC. NO money is being made off of this story!**

**NOTE: SO after three years i have decided to start putting Ranger and Pirates back on on this site. hope everyone still enjoys this...and remembers it lol**

**Rangers and Pirates Chapter 1: **_**Attacks and New Worlds**_

Aragorn smiled as he came upon the woods of Mirkwood. It had been too long since he had seen his dear friend Legolas, and the truth be told if he didn't get away from his brothers soon he was going to kill them. Aragorn broke into a sprint as he went deeper into the woods, since the sun was setting quickly and the last thing he needed was to be caught by some orcs, especially since he had managed to not get into any trouble on this trip. For him this was an absolute miracle. But that all changed as he ran into a small band just beginning to emerge.

_Oh come on!_ Aragorn thought exasperated. The orcs screeched with delight and began circling the young Ranger. Aragorn had already unsheathed his sword and crouched down into a defensive stance. He easily deflected the blows from the orcs' swords and just as easily took them down but they seemed to be coming in waves. As soon as he killed one, two more jumped in to replace it.

Aragorn screamed in surprise at the sudden searing pain in his abdomen. Looking down he saw the disgusting sight of a thick black orc arrow protruding from his belly. The orc nearest to him grabbed the arrow, twisted it, and pushed it deeper causing Aragorn to scream and collapse to the ground from the pain.

The orcs took advantage of his position and began kick him hard in the head and especially around the ribs causing the tears he was holding back to flow down his cheeks. Aragorn began calling out for Legolas. He knew the elf was probably nowhere nearby, but he continued to call the prince's name. Aragorn finally lost consciousness from the pain, the blackness finally giving relief from the abuse being inflicted on his body.

Legolas ran down the staircase and made his way towards the healing quarters. He had just received word moments ago that a small hunting party had found Aragorn on their way back to the palace, and that the young man was not in good shape. Legolas demanded to know what 'not in good shape' meant, but the messenger hadn't specified.

Legolas pushed the door open, hard, causing it to ricochet off of the wall violently. "Estel..." Legolas bit his lip to hold back the sob that wanted to escape. Aragorn's face was as pale as the white sheet he was laying on, that was except for the parts that were bruised; almost his entire face was black and blue, and was also covered with multiple cuts, the deepest of which were still bleeding. Legolas closed his eyes to try and hold back the tears that threatened when he saw that the rest of his friend's body wasn't in any better shape. His torso was just as bruised and cut as his face, along with the freely bleeding arrow wound.

Thranduil made his way towards his son and pulled him into an embrace. "Oh Legolas, I am sorry but..."

Legolas pulled away from his father. "But what?"

"Legolas, Aragorn has lost too much blood. We are guessing that he also has internal bleeding and he has a few broken ribs. The healers said that they don't even know how he is still with us." Thranduil gently wiped the tears from his son's face. "Legolas he isn't going to last much longer..."

Legolas violently shook his head, "No! He'll be alright!"

Thranduil pushed his struggling son out of the room. "Legolas listen to me..."

Legolas pushed his father away from him, "NO you LISTEN! He isn't going anywhere! And I'm going to be there with him when he wakes up!" Legolas slipped back into the room and pulled a chair up next to the young humans' bedside. He gently took Aragorn's hand into his own. "Aragorn, _lasto beth nîn, tolo dan nan galad _Hear my voice, come back to the light." Legolas' sorrow deepened when Aragorn didn't respond to him. His father's words slowly sank into him. Aragorn was going to die.

Aragorn however did hear his friend call him back and was fighting with whatever was left of his strength to wake. He made slow progress as he slowly felt the pain once again take a hold of his body. Aragorn finally dared to open his eyes to take in his surroundings. But what he woke to was not what he expected.

He was outside surrounded by very unfamiliar buildings and the face staring down at him was not that of the fair-haired elf prince, but that of a stranger's. Aragorn moved away from the man as quickly as his injured body would allow him. The man before him looked unlike any he had ever met. He wore clothes of an unusual make, his skin was caramelized even more than Aragorn's own skin, and his raven hair was straight. Some of it was in dreadlocks with small beads worked into it, and the stranger's facial hair was similar to Aragorn's.

"Are you a pirate?" The man asked.

Aragorn frowned. "_Man?_ What?"

The other man looked around nervously; he was obviously in a hurry. "And what language would that be savvy?"

Aragorn switched to the common tongue, "What did you call me?"

"I asked if you were a pirate."

Aragorn shook his head. "Nay I have never heard of such a thing. I am... Strider, Ranger from the North." Aragorn decided to stick with his nickname just incase. "Who might you be?"

"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."

Legolas watched as Aragorn's breathing evened out. He sat forward in anticipation, hoping to see his friend's gray-blue eyes open. But they never did. Legolas relaxed somewhat into his chair as he mentally kicked himself for getting his hopes up. He then noticed that Aragorn began moving his mouth like he was having a conversation with someone, but no words were being spoken by the young man. "What is happening to you _mellon nin_? My friend"

Aragorn stayed tucked in the corner as a group of men even more strangely dressed ran by carrying weapons he had never seen before. He moved from his spot when he saw Jack emerge from behind a statue and signaled him to follow. He didn't know why he was going along with him but he figured he had nothing to lose.

Jack held the door open for the young man. He was surprised 'Strider' could even sit up, let alone walk, the only reason he was helping was out of sheer pity. When Aragorn was safely inside he quickly shut the door. He watched as Aragorn slowly sat down trying to nurse his injured belly. He walked past him and grabbed a hammer that was resting against a barrel, and then made his way towards the sleeping drunk in the corner and poked at him. "WHAO!"

When the man didn't wake he began hammering away at the chains binding his wrists. He looked up again at the young man who was rocking slightly trying to deal with the pain he was in. Then he saw the donkey hooked up to the spin wheel and got an idea. Grabbing a sword that was being heated in a nearby fire place, he approached the donkey.

Aragorn shook his head as Jack poked the poor unsuspecting donkey, which in turn began pulling the wheel. Jack threw the chain between the turning gears snapping the metal.

"I would have helped you Master Sparrow."

Jack cocked his head to the side. Master Sparrow? I thought I told him it was CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow? He didn't get a chance to reply as someone came into the blacksmith shed. Jack moved as silently as he could and pushed Aragorn into a corner. Aragorn hissed in pain at the sudden swift movement, he could barely breathe and that was the last thing he needed done to him. "Stay here and don't come out for anything."

Aragorn nodded he didn't even have the strength to argue, let alone try and fight. "As you wish."

Will Turner hopped down and petted the donkey on the head bring him to a stop then looked around. In the corner was a semi-heavyset man sleeping. Will smiled, "Right where I left you..." He the turned and looked at his hammer that Jack had been using. "Not where I left you..." Will made his way over to the hammer and reached to grab it when he finally noticed Jack. "You're the one they are hunting, the pirate."

Jack began walking towards him a little, "You seem somewhat familiar. Have I threatened you before?"

Will narrowed his eyes somewhat. "I make a point of avoiding familiarity with pirates."

Jack lowered his sword which had been pointed at Will. "Ah. Well, then it would be a shame to put a black mark on your record. So, if you'll excuse me..." Will quickly grabbed the nearest sword and pointed it at Jack. "Do you think this wise, boy, crossing blades with a pirate?"

Will held the sword steady and looked Jack in the eye. "You threatened Miss Swann."

Aragorn watched the two begin to fight in a manner that seemed absolutely ridiculous. The two didn't go at it long before Jack spoke. "Only a little and you know what you're doing, I'll give you that. Excellent form but how's your footwork? If I step here..." They stepped and fought in sync "...very good. Now I step again... Ta." Jack turned to exit only to have Will's sword fly past his face, barring the exit.

Aragorn moved his hand to the hilt of his sword ready to come to the pirates' aid though he knew he wouldn't be much of a help. Jack saw this and cast him a glance that told Aragorn he wasn't needed. He then turned to face Will. "That is a wonderful trick except once again you are between me and my way out. And now you have no weapon." Will grabbed another sword that was being heated in the fire and the two fought again.

Aragorn shook his head. It was almost like a dance, how in the name of the Valar did they learn to do that without tripping over their own feet? The two rounded a pillar which had an unbelievable amount of swords leaning against it. Jack looked around, "Who makes all these?!"

"I do! And I practice with them three hours a day!" Will shot back.

Aragorn's eyes went wide when he finally got a good look at Will's face. He knew that voice! "Legolas..." The man was Legolas! Only different; he had facial hair now and his hair was a sienna color much like Lord Elrond's, but a shade darker. Aragorn felt his jaw drop when he saw Will's ears. They were round! He felt the color drain from his face. Where was he?


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything in reguards to LORD OF THE RINGS OR POTC. NO money is being made off of this story!**

**Rangers and Pirates Chapter 2:** _**Running and chaos  
**_

Thranduil stood with Legolas and some healers watching Aragorn move around and speak silent words. He had never seen or heard of anything like this before in his long life. "What is happening to him _Ada_?" Legolas asked.

Thranduil shrugged his shoulders, "I do not know. Legolas, round up a few messengers and tell them to look for Gandalf, I doubt Elrond will be able to help him when he arrives."

Jack made his way back around to the fireplace. "You need to find yourself a girl, mate! Or, perhaps the reason you practice three hours a day is that you already found one, and are otherwise incapable of wooing said strumpet. You're not a eunuch, are you?"

Will looked thoroughly pissed and Jack didn't know if it was because of his lack of girl analogy or if it was because of his "eunuch" comment. "I practice three hours a day, so that when I meet a pirate, I can kill it!" The two once again resumed their fight.

Aragorn, however, stood stupefied in the corner as the battle continued and realization hit him. This wasn't Middle-Earth. His heart was pounding so hard he thought it was going to burst through his chest. What was he going to do? Elrond was going to kill him when this mess got sorted out, well if it got sorted out. At _least I didn't drag Legolas into this._

He was so lost in thought that he missed Jack catapulting Will and himself up to the rafters; in fact the only thing that snapped him out of his stupor was a muffled yell. Aragorn looked up to see a large cloud of dust and a weaponless Will stumbling about. Aragorn watched as Jack pulled out one of those strange weapons and point it at Will who almost looked betrayed.

"You cheated!"

Jack gave him a small smirk. "Pirate. Move away."

Will stood his ground between the pirate and his only exit. "No."

Jack was starting to look panicked, it wouldn't be long before he was found and now he had no idea about what had happened to Strider. "Please, move."

Will still refused. "No! I cannot just step aside and let you escape."

Jack readied his pistol to fire, "This shot is not meant for you..."

Aragorn's eyes grew wide as he watched the man who was sleeping smash Jack over the head with his liquor bottle. Jack fell face first to the ground and almost like clock work the group of solders they had been hiding from broke through the door.

The man who Aragorn was guessing was their leader stepped closer to the man who had knocked out Jack. "Excellent work, Mr. Brown. You've assisted in the capture of a dangerous fugitive."

"Just doing my civic duty, sir." Will made a disgusted face at them. He was the one who had fought the pirate and kept him here and instead Mr. Brown gets the credit.

Aragorn stayed pressed against the wall. He didn't know what he could do for Jack now that all these men were here. Aragorn froze and held his breath as one of the solders wandered too close for comfort. Fortunately he overlooked the ranger and moved back to the group gathering Jack up. Aragorn mentally thanked the Valar that he was raised by elves who had taught him how to successfully blend with his surroundings. Aragorn again turned his full attention to the leader of the group of solders who smiled cockily at his men. "Well, I trust you'll always remember this as the day that Captain Jack Sparrow almost escaped. Take him away."

Aragorn cursed under his breath as Jack was led away by Commodore Norrington. Now who was he going to trust?

"Who is there?"

Aragorn froze. _How loud did I say that?_ He absent-mindedly moved his hand to the hilt of his sword and watched as Will picked up a new sword and began searching for him. Aragorn slipped closer to the door as Will moved further in the opposite direction, past the fire place. In one swift movement he threw the door open and ran out of the shed into the open streets of the town. Aragorn stood in the middle of the road trying to figure out what direction to go in.

"You!" Spinning around he saw Will stalking towards him. Aragorn took off in the direction where the least amount of people seemed to be going and tried to find a safe place to hide. After about 20 minutes he wandered far into the wooded area surrounding Port Royal.

Aragorn sat against a tree mentally and physically exhausted. He had cleaned his wounds the best he could, and had changed into the spare black leggings and tunic he had packed. Aragorn sighed as he thought about his situation. He had no idea where to even begin in his search to find his way home, and it seemed that the only person it he could maybe trust was lost to him. Aragorn brought his knees up to his chest and rested his head against them and let the sobs and tears escape him. He cried for what seemed like hours before exhaustion and sleep over took him.

"What do you mean you don't know what's wrong with him?!" screamed an enraged Elladan at the poor unwitting messenger from Mirkwood.

"We found him on one of the paths. He was attacked by orcs. The healers said he should have passed from his injuries but he hasn't. They can't figure out why he is in the current state he is in."

Elladan threw his hands in the air. "This is ridiculous!" Elrohir placed his hand on his twin's shoulder.

"Elladan don't take out your anger on Talathdur." The younger twin said soothingly, even though he was nearly frantic with worry for his younger brother too.

Elrond emerged from his study looking more frustrated than he did when he went in. "Elladan, Elrohir pack whatever you need quickly. We are leaving for Mirkwood immediately. Talathdur if you would be so kind as to inform the stable hand that we need our horses prepared..."

"As you wish, my lord." Talathdur bowed before running off to the stables.

Elrohir stepped closer to his father. "What did you find _Ada_?"

Elrond sighed "I found absolutely nothing on the matter."

Aragorn woke to the sounds of cannon fire and chaos erupting all around him. Grabbing his pack and weapons he took off back towards the town. In the bay near the docks he could see a large black ship with tattered sails, and all around the town, fog was creeping in.

Will grabbed a sword and ax before heading out to fight the invaders who were destroying Port Royal and killing the town residents. As soon as he was out of the shed he threw his ax and hit one of the pirates in the back, causing him to fall to the ground. Will grabbed the ax as he ran by the fallen pirate and taking on his next opponent. The fighting was vicious, and many of the men of the town were doing their best to defend themselves, but it seemed hopeless.

Elizabeth Swann ran down the staircase as the butler was about to open the door. "Don't!"

The butler ignored her and opened the door to find two pirates standing on the other side of it. Pintel smiled evilly. "Hello chump." Elizabeth screamed when Pintel shot the butler. "Girl!"

Elizabeth's eyes went wide as she turned and ran as quickly as she could back upstairs to her room with the pirates right on her heels. She jumped when her maid grabbed her. "Miss Swann, they've come to kidnap you."

Elizabeth felt a chill run down her spine "What?"

"You're the Governor's daughter." The maid was earnest, and frightened, though she was bravely trying to hide it.

Elizabeth held back her panic well "They haven't seen you. Hide and as fast as you can run to the fort."

Jacks' head shot up at the sound of cannon fire. "I know those guns. It's the _Pearl_." He smiled as he set his eyes upon the black-sailed ship.

One of the prisoners in the next cell looked at him disbelievingly. "_Black Pearl_? I've heard stories. She's been preying on ships and settlements for near ten years. Never leaves any survivors."

Jack faced the man with a smirk plastered on his face. "No survivors? Then where do the stories come from, I wonder?"

Aragorn notched another arrow in his bow and fired. His arrow imbedded itself right between the unsuspecting pirate's eyes. Aragorn frowned when he went to retrieve his arrow. He was quite sure he had just beheaded this man a little further back. Aragorn shook off the suspicion there was no way that it was possible. But then again, how was it possible that he was here? Aragorn looked around as the area brightened. Looking up he saw that the light was coming from the once cloud-covered moon. He yelped and jumped back in surprise when he looked back down at the pirate. The pirate was now nothing more than some rotted flesh and tattered clothes hanging off of a skeletal frame. _And I thought Orcs were the ugliest things I ever saw._

Jack looked back in disbelief at the gaping hole in the opposite cell wall. The last shot from the cannons had blown a hole in the cell block… in the outer wall of the cell next to his own. God, he had the worst luck. Jack grabbed the bone the others had been using earlier to try a lure the dog holding the keys to them, and began tapping it on the floor.

"Come on, doggy. It's just you and me now. It's you and ol' Jack, come on. Come on, good boy. That's it, good boy, come on! Bit closer, bit closer. That's it, that's it, doggy. Come on you filthy, slimy, mangy cad. No, no, no, no, no, I didn't mean it. I didn't..." Jack drew his arm back in at the sound of foot steps coming toward him.

The pirate named Twigg looked around. "This ain't the armory."

The other pirate with him smiled wickedly when he saw Jack. "Well, well, well, look what we have here Twigg - Captain Jack Sparrow."

Jack inwardly cringed as the two approached him. "Last time I saw you, you were all alone on a godforsaken island, shrinking into the distance. His fortunes aren't improved much." Twigg mocked.

"Worry about your own fortunes, gentlemen. The deepest circle of Hell is reserved for betrayers and mutineers." Jack replied.

The other pirate reached through the bars of Jack's cell and grabbed him around the neck, with the moon light revealing his rotted arm. "So there is a curse. That's interesting." Jack gasped as his windpipe was constricted.

The pirate tightened his grip. "You know nothing of Hell!"

With that the two comrades left Jack kneeling on the floor of his jail cell. "That's very interesting."

Elizabeth looked down at the medallion in her hand. She was now hiding in a storage closet in the dining room. "Come out and we promise we won't hurt you. We will find you, Poppet. You've got something of ours and it calls to us. The gold calls to us." Elizabeth held her breath as Pintel and Ragetti slowly made their way to her hiding place. Elizabeth looked up when the light that was coming through the crack of the doors faded.

Pintel opened the doors "'Ello, Poppet."

Aragorn continued to hack and slash his way through the sea of undead pirates, making his way back towards the blacksmith shed. Aragorn froze when he saw a pirate had Will trapped with some kind of a hook around his neck. Aragorn sheathed his sword and pulled out his bow.

The pirate pulled Will closer to him. "Say good bye..." The pirate suddenly dropped the hook and looked down at his hand with a dark arrow shaft protruding form it.

Will looked up and ducked quickly as a sign came hurtling at them, knocking the pirate through a window. "Goodbye."

Aragorn put his bow away and ran over towards Will. "Are you alright Legolas...?"

Will looked at him in confusion. "What did you call me?"

Aragorn mentally kicked himself." Are you ok?"

Aragorn noticed that Will's gaze had shifted to over his shoulder. Turning he saw a young woman being lead away. Will spoke her name in horror. "Elizabeth."

Will immediately took off after her, with Aragorn right behind him. Aragorn hadn't noticed Will had stopped running and nearly skidded right into him. The pirate in front of them looked up in shock; the bomb that rolled in between them didn't go off. Will smirked cockily at the pirate, right before another came up behind him and Aragorn. "Outta my way, scum!" The pirate knocked them both over the head causing them to black out.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything in reguards to LORD OF THE RINGS OR POTC. NO money is being made off of this story!**

Rangers and Pirates Chapter 3

Aragorn grumbled as he woke up with a throbbing head. _Great, just what I needed, another injury_. He opened his eyes and sat up slowly, trying not to put any stress on his healing stomach and ribs than he already had. To his surprise, there was only a little pain caused by his ribs. Pulling up his tunic, he was surprised to see only a small scar where the arrow wound had been, and the bruises around his ribs were all but gone.

He shook his head, happy to be rid of the pain, but also confused by his abnormally fast healing. Even an elf wouldn't have healed this quickly, and he was a human. His attention shifted from his stomach to the fight from the night before when he remembered what the moonlight had revealed about the pirate.

Looking around, he wasn't surprised when he didn't see any bodies from the invaders. _What were they? They could have been a type of wraith, I suppose… living but not dead._ Figuring that was the best explanation, Aragorn got to his feet. "Legolas!" Legolas was gone. Aragorn again mentally kicked himself. He had to get used to the fact that this man was not the prince. Aragorn made up his mind to try and find the man anyway, and headed in the direction that he thought Will might have taken.

Will himself hadn't risen that much earlier than Aragorn. Of course his first thoughts were of Elizabeth and finding out what had happened to her and not the unconscious man next to him. Will debated whether or not to wake Aragorn. True, the man had saved his life, but Will recognized him as the other pirate that had been hiding out with Jack Sparrow in the blacksmith shed. Deciding that he wanted nothing to do with the other man, he grabbed his ax and ran to where Commodore Norrington and Governor Swann were reviewing maps and other documents.

Will ran up to the two men. "They've taken her. They've taken Elizabeth."

Norrington seemed annoyed just at Will's presence. Not even looking up from the maps, he spoke to one of the other soldiers. "Mr. Murtogg, remove this man."

Will shook the man's hand off of his arm. "We have to hunt them down, we must save her!"

The governor turned around and faced Will. "And where do you propose we start? If you have any information concerning my daughter, please, share it."

"Well…"

Everyone turned their attention to Murtogg. "…That Jack Sparrow. He talked about the _Black Pearl_."

"Mentioned it, is more what he did," corrected the other guard.

Will now looked more determined than he previously had. "Ask him where it is. Make a deal with him, he could lead us to it."

Norrington shook his head in a disgusted manner. "No. The pirates who invaded this fort left Sparrow locked in his cell; ergo they are not his allies…"

A new voice broke into the conversation. "If he mentioned the _Black Pearl_ then he must know something."

Norrington and the governor looked up, startled at the strange voice. Will cringed as he turned to see Aragorn standing behind him, leaning against a pole with his arms crossed over his chest. The ranger continued calmly. "You don't seem to know anything about this at the moment, and you have nothing to lose by asking the pirate now do you?"

Norrington narrowed his eyes at the ranger. "I don't believe I've met you before, what might your name be?"

Aragorn straightened and bowed mockingly to the Commodore. "I am Strider, Ranger of the North."

Norrington gave Aragorn the same smug look that he had given to his men when they caught Jack as he circled the table towards the younger man. "Well Strider, Ranger of the North, has anyone asked for your opinion?"

Aragorn shrugged. "No, but I thought that I would give it anyway."

Norrington was quickly losing patience with the cocky young man who stood before him. Grabbing Aragorn's arms, he pushed back the sleeves trying to find a tattoo or any kind of mark distinguishing him as a pirate. Aragorn noticed the look of disappointment on Norrington's face when he didn't find anything. "Well, your opinion is not needed or wanted on this matter, and neither is Sparrow's." Norrington turned and made his way back to the table and looked over the maps again, completely ignoring Aragorn and Will. "Now Governor, we will establish their most likely course…"

Will's anger at this point had gone beyond his limits and he buried his hatchet in the table in frustration. "That's not good enough!"

Norrington grabbed Will's ax and pulled him aside. "Mr. Turner, you are not a military man, you are not a sailor. You are a blacksmith and this is not the moment for rash actions." The Commodore handed Will back his hatchet, then lowered his voice. "Do not make the mistake of thinking you are the only man here who cares for Elizabeth."

Will turned and left, with Aragorn trailing behind him. "Why are you following me?"

"Because I want to help you…where are we going anyway?" Aragorn replied.

Will stopped walking and turned around to face Aragorn. "I do not need or want your help Strider. I'm going to find Jack. You on the other hand are staying here, and out of my business." Will pivoted again and stalked away deeper into the fort.

Aragorn watched Will's retreating form with a broken heart. The words Will had spoken to him hurt him deeply. And the look on his face when he spoke them was one of obvious hate. Aragorn reminded himself again that this was not his best friend. He knew that was why Will's rejection bothered him so much. The look he had received was one he had only seen Legolas make when he spoke of Orcs or the giant spiders that had invaded the forests of Mirkwood. Aragorn sighed and continued to follow Will. The blacksmith might not want him around, but he still owed Jack for his kindness towards him the day before.

Jack knelt by the door of his cell trying to pick the lock with a fragment of the bone, but not having much luck. "Please…" The pirate quickly tossed the bone aside and lay down with his hands behind his head when he heard someone approaching.

"You! Sparrow!"

Jack picked his head up to see Will standing at the door of his cell, staring in at him. "Aye?"

"You are familiar with that ship, the _Black Pearl_?" Will asked.

Jack shrugged his shoulders somewhat. "I've heard of it."

"Where does it make berth?"

Jack sat up all the way, laughing. "Where does it make berth? Have you not heard the stories?" At Will's look of blank confusion, Jack laid back down. "_Captain_ Barbossa and his crew of miscreants sailed from the dreaded Isla de Muerta. It's an island that cannot be found, except," Jack raised a single finger, "by those who already know where it is."

Will was starting to grow anxious. "The ship's real enough. Therefore its anchorage must be a real place. Where is it?" he persisted.

Jack looked at Will with mounting interest. "Why ask me?"

Will lowered his gaze to the floor. "Because you're a pirate."

"And you want to turn pirate yourself, is that it?"

Will's head shot up at Jack's comment. "Never!" He sighed and looked down at the ground again. "They took Miss Swann."

Jack grinned. "Oh, so it is that you've found a girl. I see. Well, if you are intending to brave all, hasten to her rescue, and so win fair lady's heart, you'll have to do it alone, mate. I see no profit in it for me."

Will thought for a moment. "I can get you out of here."

Jack looked at him somewhat disbelievingly. "How's that? The key's run off."

Will pointed at the hinges on the cell door. "I helped build the cells. These are half-pin barrel hinges." He turned and grabbed a bench from the wall behind him, turning it so that the seat faced the floor and the legs were propped to pop the door. "With the right leverage and the proper application of strength, the door will lift free."

Jack rubbed his chin. "What's your name?"

"Will Turner."

Jack's eyebrows shot up as he put the pieces together. "That will be short for William, I imagine. Good, strong name. No doubt, named for your father, right?"

Will frowned. He didn't exactly see why this mattered to Sparrow. "Yes…"

Jack hopped to his feet. _This is too good to be true._ "Aha. Well, Mr. Turner, I changed me mind. If you spring me from this cell, I swear on pain of death, I shall take you to the _Black Pearl_ and your bonny lass. Do we have an accord?"

Will smiled and shook the pirate's hand. "Agreed."

Jack almost wanted to jump for joy…almost. "Agreed, get me out."

Will pulled down on the bench, hard, and with a groaning of metal the hinges popped free. He shoved the door to the side and it fell against the bars of the cell with a clatter. The blacksmith looked around. "Hurry, someone will have heard that."

Jack moved past him to where the soldiers had put his belongings. "Not without my effects." When he turned to face Will again, he finally noticed Aragorn as the ranger moved out from his hiding place in the shadows. "Well, well Strider, had you not moved I never would have noticed you."

Aragorn smiled. "I've learned how to avoid being seen, when I wish."

Will rolled his eyes. "I thought I told you I didn't want your help."

Aragorn inhaled deeply before replying, trying to remain calm. "I have not come here to offer you help, but rather to offer it to Jack. I owe him for his kindness to me yesterday." Aragorn made a face as Jack nodded and walked over to him. He hadn't noticed the other man's strange, yet amusing gait yesterday, and had to bite his lower lip to keep from giggling.

Jack looked him up and down. "This is going to be a dangerous journey Strider, but if you wish to come along you are welcome to."

Elrond stood over his unconscious son and watched as Aragorn moved about slightly and talked silent words.

"He had been like this the whole time…"

Elrond smiled as Legolas entered the room with sleep-tousled hair. "I thought you were supposed to be catching up on your lack of sleep Legolas."

Legolas nodded as he yawned. "I did."

The Lord of Rivendell raised his eyebrows. "Twenty minutes makes up for four days?"

Legolas lowered his eyes to the floor. "I can't sleep when he is like this."

Elrond nodded in agreement. "Neither can I."

An idea came to Legolas. "Have you tried calling him back?"

"Your father told me they have already tried…"

"Yes, but none of us have your power! You might be able to help him!" Legolas said.

Elrond smiled at Legolas' enthusiasm. "I don't want to try anything else until Gandalf arrives." The elf lord pulled another chair up beside his own and motioned for the elf prince to sit next to him. "I would appreciate your company, Legolas."

Legolas smiled as he sat down. "I'll stay until my father finds me and forces me back to my room."

Aragorn followed Jack's gaze out to the _Dauntless_ and felt his jaw drop. "You've got to be kidding!"

Jack looked over his shoulder at Aragorn. "Do you have a problem with commandeering a ship?"

Will's eyes widened. "We're going to steal a ship?" Looking in the direction Aragorn was pointing, Will's eyes grew wider. "That ship?"

Jack rolled his eyes and turned around to face Will and Aragorn. "Commandeer. We're going to commandeer that ship. Nautical term." Jack faced Will with a serious expression. "One question about your business boy, or there's no use going. This girl, how far are you willing to go to save her?"

Will looked Jack directly in the eyes. "I'd die for her."

Jack knew that Will was telling the truth and would go that far, if necessary. "Oh good. No worries, then."

The three companions sat scrunched under one of the small overturned lifeboats, listening for signs of somebody's presence. Aragorn shifted slightly so that he could rest his ear to the ground. "What are you doing?" Will asked.

Aragorn smiled at Will's question. "Tracking their footsteps Master Turner, and if we are going to move it should be now."

Shifting back to his original position, Aragorn stood slightly and together the three men lifted the boat and walked it forward, right into the water, still upside down. The water pulled at the boat, trying to rip it out of their hands.

"This is either madness or brilliance." Will muttered.

Jack looked back slightly. "Remarkable how often those two traits coincide."

Aragorn took a breath and ducked out from under the boat. When he opened his eyes he realized that they were at least twenty feet under the water and only going deeper. Aragorn resurfaced under the boat. _He is mad!_

There was a muted crunching noise from under the water and Will grunted. Aragorn looked back, but couldn't tell what the man's problem was. Ducking his head back under water, Aragorn saw that Will had stepped right into a cage of some kind and it was tangled around his foot. Unable to get his foot free, the man kept walking, while Aragorn surfaced again to help.

Suddenly, Jack disappeared under the water, and when he came back up he nodded to the other two. We're right where we need to be. Everyone take a breath and swim for the surface. Stay as close to the boat as you can manage."

They released the boat and swam for the top. Will was having some problems because of the crab trap still attached to his foot, but he managed to make it to the top and together the three men climbed up the anchor chain. Will paused for a moment to rid himself of the crab trap, leaving it dangling from the chain.

Aragorn, Jack, and Will climbed over the railing at the aft of the ship and hid behind another railing, watching the sailors walk around the deck. Jack turned to Aragorn and Will. "Are you two ready?" he whispered.

Aragorn notched an arrow to his bow string and thanked the Valar for the oiled cloth that he had had wrapped around the bow, which had prevented the string from getting soaked. A wet bowstring wouldn't shoot. "Always."

Jack strolled down the steps, making their presence known, while Will leapt the railing and Aragorn stood at the top of the steps aiming his arrow at the men. "Everyone stay calm, we are taking over the ship."

Will came up behind him, sword drawn. "Aye, avast!"

Aragorn was glad some of the soldiers laughed at Will's words, hopefully this way Will wouldn't hear his own laughter. He hadn't meant to laugh, but he still thought of the blacksmith as the graceful and well spoken prince of Mirkwood, and between Will getting his foot caught in the crate and his words he just couldn't help himself.

"This ship cannot be crewed by three men. You'll never make it out of the bay." One of the soldiers said.

Jack aimed his pistol at Gillette. "Son, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, savvy?"

Norrington looked up when he heard his name being called. "Commodore! Sir, they've taken the _Dauntless_. They've taken the ship. Sparrow, Turner, and another man, they've taken the _Dauntless_!"

Norrington's face again turned to one of disgust. "Rash, Turner, too rash. He is without a doubt the worst pirate I have ever seen."

Will ran up the steps and joined Jack and Aragorn. "Here they come." Jack turned to see the ship _Interceptor_ coming toward them.

"Done!" Aragorn stood and dusted himself off.

"Did you do it exactly the way I told you to?" asked Jack, never taking his eyes off the approaching ship.

"Of course."

Jack grinned like a Cheshire cat. "Good. Follow me."

Aragorn wrapped the rope around his hand a second time as the Commodore's men boarded the _Dauntless_ and began searching for them. Jack waited, and when he was sure all the soldiers were off the _Interceptor_ and on the _Dauntless_, he signaled Will and Aragorn and all three swung onto the _Interceptor_. "Strider, come with me. Will if you would be so kind and cut the ropes." Will drew his ax from his belt and cut each line while Aragorn brought up the anchor and Jack took the wheel.

Norrington could feel his face turning red when no one turned up Sparrow or the other two men. "Search every cabin, every hold, down to the bilges!" A few seconds later he saw the _Interceptor_ begin to pull away. "Sailors back to the _Interceptor_, now!"

One of his men tried to swing back to the ship, but the _Interceptor_ was too far away and the man missed, tumbling into the sea.

Jack waved his hat at Norrington, adding to his anger. "Thank you Commodore, for getting us ready to make way! We'd have had a hard time of it by ourselves."

Norrington gave the order for them to give chase when another officer informed him that the winds had changed and that they would never be able to catch them. Norrington nodded. "We don't need to catch them, just get them in range of the long nines."

The other officer nodded and turned to the sailors. "Men, come about. Run out the guns." He turned back to Norrington and added, in an undertone, "We're to fire on our own ship?"

"I'd rather see her at the bottom of the ocean than in the hands of a pirate." Norrington replied grimly.

Just then, the sailor at the wheel called out. "Commodore, he's disabled the rudder chain, sir!"

Norrington leaned against the railing, fighting the urge to rub his temples. The other officer spoke again with a small smile. "That's got to be the best pirate I've ever seen."

"So it would seem."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything in reguards to LORD OF THE RINGS OR POTC. NO money is being made off of this story!**

Rangers and Pirates Chapter 4

Elrond was woken by a soft knocking on the door. The elf lord rose and stretched his tired muscles before carefully making his way past Legolas, who had finally fallen into a deep sleep. Opening the door, he found an ecstatic Elrohir standing on the other side. "_Ada_, Gandalf has finally arrived. Elladan and Thranduil are with him now."

Elrond nodded and pushed past the younger twin. "Stay with Estel, and please try not to wake up Legolas. He has finally fallen asleep."

Elrohir smiled and stepped into the room. "Yes _Ada_. Once the door was closed Elrohir carefully made his way past Legolas and sat down on the bed with Aragorn. He pushed a stray hair out of the young Dunedain's face and then gently took his foster brother's hand in his own. "Everything is going to be okay Estel. Gandalf is here and he is going to help you find your way, I promise."

Aragorn leaned over the railing and again emptied the contents of his stomach into the waters below. He hated being sick, but at least this time he was with two others who knew what it felt like. Being raised by elves had its low points and one of them was when he got sick. Seeing as how elves could never get sick, he had no one to relate to on the matter.

Once the nausea had subsided somewhat, he sank down onto the deck and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He let his head fall back against the railing and tried to sleep, but the rocking of the boat and the flipping of his stomach made it an impossibly hard task.

"Strider…"

Opening his eyes he saw Jack standing in front of him, holding out a glass of water to him. "Drink this."

Aragorn shook his head. "No, I can't keep it down."

Jack placed the glass next to him on the deck. "Drink it when you can then." Aragorn groaned and shut his eyes as his stomach flipped again. Jack laughed and patted the sick ranger on the shoulder. "Don't worry, you'll get your sea legs before this is all over."

Aragorn smiled despite his nausea. "_Hannon le, mellon_ Thank you, friend." Jack just nodded at the strange words and then went back to steering the ship. Aragorn decided to try and drink the water, and immediately regretted the decision.

Reaching into his pack he pulled out his bag of various herbs and sorted through it until he found the lavender. He crushed the plant in his hand and then sprinkled it into the water remaining in the glass before deeply inhaling the sweet smell. He could immediately feel it settle his nerves and stomach as it always had when he was a child. Sighing contentedly, he wrapped himself in his cloak and fell into a light sleep. He wasn't asleep for long when he woke up to a conversation between Jack and Will, who were down on the lower deck.

"When I was a lad living in England, my mother raised me herself. After she died, I came out here, looking for my father." Will said.

Jack just stared straight ahead, making no reaction to Will's statement. "Is that so?"

Will turned and headed up the steps after Jack. "My father…Will Turner. And in jail it was only after you learned my name that you agreed to help. Since that's what I wanted, I didn't press the matter." Will now stood behind Jack. "I'm not a simpleton, Jack. You knew my father."

Jack turned to the younger man when he replied. "I knew 'im. Probably one of the few who knew him as William Turner, everyone else just called him Bootstrap, or Bootstrap Bill."

Will frowned. "Bootstrap?"

Jack nodded as he kept his eyes on the horizon. "Good man, good pirate. I swear you look just like him."

Aragorn groaned and pulled the hood of his cloak over his head. He knew that from here on out this conversation was not going to go well.

Will's eyes grew dark with anger. "It's not true, he was a merchant sailor; a good respectable man who obeyed the law."

Jack rolled his eyes as he turned to face Will. "He was a bloody pirate, a scallywag."

Will's eyes grew even darker as he unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Jack. "My father was not a pirate."

Jack turned back to staring into the distance. "Put it away, son. It's not worth you getting beat again."

"You didn't beat me; you ignored the rules of engagement. In a fair fight, I'd kill you."

Aragorn grumbled and was about to tell them to shut up when all of a sudden Jack turned the wheel, sending a sail crashing into Will, who now clung on for dear life as he dangled over the water.

Jack turned and walked a little closer to Will. "And that's no incentive for me to fight fair, is it? And as long as you're just hanging there, pay attention. The only rules that matter are these: what a man can do and what a man can't do. For instance- you can accept that your father was a pirate and a good man, or you can't. But pirate is in your blood, boy, so you'll have to square with that someday. And me, for example, I can let you drown, but I can't bring this ship into Tortuga with just me and a sea sick ranger." At this Aragorn narrowed his eyes and stuck his tongue out at Jack. "Savvy?"

Going back to the wheel and turning it in the other direction, he brought the sail and Will back in, sending Will crashing to the deck. "So, can you sail under the command of a pirate, or can you not?"

Will sighed, then looked up at Jack. "Tortuga?"

Jack smiled and nodded. "Tortuga."

After they had arrived and docked in Tortuga, Aragorn had been the first one of the three off the ship, desperate to be on solid ground again. After traveling further into the town, however, he found himself wishing that he was back on the _Interceptor_.

Jack, however, seemed to be quite happy here. "What do you think of Tortuga?"

Will glanced around. "It makes a rather lasting impression."

Jack turned to Aragorn, who at the moment had a rather unflattering woman hanging on him. "And what are your thoughts, Strider?"

Aragorn shrugged the woman off and rolled his eyes. "Oh there are no words to describe how _delu_ hateful this place is."

Jack just smiled and continued to lead them through the town. "If every island were like this one, no man would ever feel unwanted." Aragorn huffed and pulled his hood back over his head. "Scarlet!"

Aragorn looked up in time to see a red-haired woman stalk over to Jack and slap him across the face so hard that his head snapped around. Jack scrunched up his face. "Not sure I deserved that."

Another woman, this one with blond hair came up to them. Jack smiled again. "Giselle!"

Giselle put her hands on her hips and looked between the three of them, focusing on Jack. "Who was she?"

Jack tried to play innocent, but ended up getting slapped by her as well. After she left in a flurry of skirts, Jack looked at Aragorn and Will. "I may have deserved that."

Aragorn's eyebrows shot up when Jack dumped a bucket of water on a heavy-set man sleeping in the mud with some pigs. The man immediately woke up and began sputtering. "Curse you for breathing, you slack-jawed idiot!" Then the man focused on Jack and blinked. "Mother's love! Jack! You should know better than to wake a man when he's sleeping. 'S bad luck."

Jack put the bucket on the ground and knelt down in front of him. "Ah, fortunately I know how to counter it. The man who did the waking buys the man who was sleeping a drink. The man who was sleeping drinks it while listening to a proposition from the man who did the waking."

Gibbs frowned for a moment as he tried to process Jack's words. Then he brightened. "Aye, that'll about do it." He started to get up, when Will suddenly doused him with more water. "Blast it! I'm already awake!"

"That was for the smell." Will said calmly.

Gibbs looked annoyed for a moment, but finally shrugged. Aragorn smiled. "Well in that case…" Before Gibbs could move he was hit with another bucket of water from Aragorn. "…that should do it." Aragorn sniffed the air and made a face. "Well, maybe not."

Aragorn thought that he was going to vomit _again_ from the smell of the tavern they entered and was repulsed by the fighting and the immoral women throwing themselves at the men there. Jack told Will and Aragorn to keep a sharp eye out as he led Gibbs to a corner table with their drinks.

Gibbs sat across from Jack and sipped his ale. "Now, what's the nature of this venture you're in?"

"I'm going after the _Black Pearl_." Gibbs choked on his ale, and smacked his chest to clear his windpipe. Jack continued. "I know where it's going to be, and I'm going to take it."

Gibbs looked at Jack like he was crazy. "Jack, it's a fool's errand. Well, you know better than me the tales of the _Black Pearl_."

Jack scooted in closer to Gibbs. "That's why I know what Barbossa is up to. All I need is a crew."

Gibbs shook his head. "From what I hear of Captain Barbossa, he's not a man to suffer fools, nor strike a bargain with one."

Jack smiled. "Well, then I say it's a very good thing I'm not a fool then, aye?"

Gibbs sat back in his seat. "Prove me wrong. What makes ye think Barbossa will give up his ship to you?"

Jack smiled slowly. "Let's just say it's a matter of leverage, aye?" The pirate cast his eyes in Will's direction, but Gibbs didn't understand. Jack sighed and began motioning his head towards Will, until Gibbs finally glanced over at the blacksmith.

"The kid?" Gibbs frowned.

"That is the child of Bootstrap Bill Turner. His only child, savvy?"

Realization dawned on Gibbs finally and his eyebrows shot up. "Is he now? Leverage says you, I think I feel a change in the wind says I. I'll find us a crew, there's bound to be some sailors on this rock crazy as you."

Jack picked up his mug. "One can only hope. Take what you can."

Gibbs raised his mug. "Give nothing back." The two chugged down their ale and slammed down their mugs when they were finished.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything in reguards to LORD OF THE RINGS OR POTC. NO money is being made off of this story!**

Rangers and Pirates Chapter 5

"This has to be a mistake…" Aragorn said as he and Will looked at the sorry group of sailors lined up on the dock. "…you would be better off enlisting hobbits!"

Will cocked his head. "What is a hobbit?" Aragorn just waved his head and told him to forget it as they made their way over to Gibbs.

"Feast your eyes, Captain. All of them, faithful hands before the mast, every man worth his salt and crazy to boot." Gibbs said.

Jack nodded and the four of them made their way down the line inspecting the men. Aragorn at one point noticed a gap in the line. Looking down he saw a short bald man standing among the others. _Close enough to a hobbit_, the ranger thought.

Will made a face as they continued down the line. "So this is your able-bodied crew?"

Jack didn't respond as he made his way towards an older looking pirate with a parrot on his shoulder. "You, sailor!"

"Cotton, sir." Gibbs informed Jack.

"Mr. Cotton. Do you have the courage and fortitude to follow orders and stay true in the face of danger and almost certain death?" The man looked from Gibbs to Jack, but didn't answer. Jack frowned. "Mr. Cotton! Answer me!"

Gibbs cleared his throat. "He's a mute, sir. Had his bloody tongue cut out, so he trained the parrot to talk for him. No one's yet figured out how…" Mr. Cotton opened his mouth to prove he had no tongue. Jack made a face like he'd just eaten a lemon, while Will leaned back and Aragorn stood staring with his jaw dropped.

Jack started to walk past Cotton, when he turned and looked at the parrot. "Mr. Cotton's…parrot, same question."

The parrot squawked and flapped its wings. "Wind in the sails! Wind in the sails!"

Gibbs raised an eyebrow and looked at Jack. "Mostly, we figure, that means 'yes'."

Jack just nodded. "O' course it does…" and turned to face Will and Aragorn. "…satisfied?"

Will sighed. "Well, you've proven that they're mad."

A feminine voice rose from further down the line, "And what's the benefit for us?"

Aragorn and Will followed Jack to the end of the line and watched as he took the sailor's hat off and cringed. "Ana Maria."

Ana Maria slapped Jack so hard that his head snapped around. Will looked disgusted with Jack while Aragorn went into a fit of laughter. "I suppose you didn't deserve that one either?"

"No, that one I deserved." Jack turned back to an enraged Ana Maria.

"You stole my BOAT!"

Jack smiled innocently. "Actually…" She hit him again, and again snapped his head around, causing Aragorn to laugh harder. "…borrowed, borrowed without permission. But with every intention of bringing it back to you."

Her eyes narrowed. "But you DIDN'T!"

Jack looked frantic, trying to placate the angry woman. "You'll get another one!"

Ana Maria looked at him skeptically. "I will?"

Will took a step forward. "A better one!"

Jack nodded in agreement. "A better one!"

Will looked around, then spotted the _Interceptor_ and pointed at it. "That one."

Jack turned and looked at him. "What one…" Aragorn, who was still red-faced and giggling, pointed out to the _Interceptor_. "…that one?" Will raised his eyebrows and Jack moaned, but turned back to face Ana Maria. "Aye! That one. What say you?"

The whole crew agreed and began heading off as Gibbs came up to Jack. "No, no, no, no, no, its frightful bad luck to bring a woman aboard, sir."

"It'd be far worse not to." Jack muttered.

Waves crashed against the _Interceptor_ as she sailed through a heavy storm. Jack remained at his place by the wheel, constantly checking his compass and making direction changes when needed as the downpour continued, and the rest of the crew struggled to keep the sails and everything on and below deck in place.

Aragorn and Will struggled to pull a rogue rope over to Gibbs. Will called out over the noise of the storm, "How can we sail to an island that nobody can find, with a compass that doesn't work?"

Aragorn's head shot up. "It doesn't work!? I told you he was mad!"

Gibbs grabbed the rope and began tying it down. "Aye, the compass doesn't point north, but we're not trying to find north, are we?" Gibbs left the two and made his way to Jack to try to convince him to stop.

Jack shook his head. "She can hold a bit longer."

"What's in your head that's put you in such a fine mood, Captain?"

Jack smiled broadly and turned the wheel slightly. "We're catching up."

The storm had died by daybreak, and a few hours after that they reached the dreaded waters of Isla de Muerta. Aragorn made his way up from below deck to find everyone was now standing by the railing and looking rather glum. Shrugging into his old, worn leather overcoat, he made his way over to the others and stood next to Gibbs. Looking down into the water he saw the many sunken ships just below the surface.

Gibbs shook his head. "Puts a chill in the bones how many honest sailors have been claimed by this passage." Gibbs turned and walked away, followed closely by Aragorn and Will, who looked at Jack and watched him again check the compass and turn the wheel ever so slightly.

Will looked to Gibbs. "How is it that Jack came by that compass?"

"Not a lot known about Jack Sparrow before he turned up in Tortuga with a mind to go after the treasure of Isla de Muerta. That was before I met him. That was when he was captain of the _Black Pearl_."

Aragorn frowned. "He was captain of the _Black Pearl_?"

Gibbs nodded. Will turned and looked back at Jack again. "He failed to mention that."

Gibbs looked at Will as he spoke. "He places things closer to the vest now. And a hard learned lesson it was. See, three days out on the venture the first mate comes to him and says everything's an equal share, as should be the location of the treasure. So, Jack gives up the bearings. That night there was a mutiny. They marooned Jack on an island and left him to die, but not before he'd gone mad with the heat."

"Ah, so that's the reason for the…" Will began imitating Jack.

Aragorn shook his head. "No, no, you have his face all wrong; it's kind of like…" Gibbs found himself suppressing a laugh as Aragorn mimicked Jack's facial expressions perfectly.

Smiling slightly, Gibbs continued. "Reason's got nothing to do with it. Now, when a man is marooned, he's given a pistol with a single shot. Well, it won't do much good hunting or to be rescued. But after three weeks of starving belly and thirst, that pistol starts to look real friendly." Gibbs formed a pistol with his fingers and rested his fingertips against his temple. Aragorn shivered. Gibbs didn't seem to notice. "But Jack made it off that island and he still has that one shot. Oh, but he won't use it though, save for one man… his mutinous first mate."

Will narrowed his eyes. "Barbossa. How did Jack get off the island?"

Gibbs nodded. "Well, I'll tell you. He waded out into the shallows and he waited there three days and three nights till all manner of sea creatures came and acclimated to his presence. And on the fourth morning he roped himself a couple of sea turtles, harnessed them together and made a raft."

Aragorn gave Gibbs a disbelieving look. "Sea turtles?"

Gibbs nodded. "Aye, sea turtles."

Will looked puzzled. "What did he use for rope?" Now it was Gibbs turn to look puzzled, what had Jack used for rope?

"Human hair…" All three turned to see Jack standing behind them, "…from me back." Jack moved past them, and gave the order to drop the anchor, and announced that he, Will, and Strider were going ashore.

Gibbs called out to Jack. "Captain! What if the worst should happen?"

Jack gave him a grim look. "Keep to the Code."

Gibbs nodded. "Aye, the Code."

Jack was now rowing a boat through the dark caves of Isla de Muerta while Will held out a lantern for light and Aragorn sat back. With nothing else to do, the ranger decided to light his pipe. He hadn't had time for a smoke for a while.

Will's curiosity got the better of him and he addressed Jack. "What code is Gibbs to keep to if the worst should happen?"

Aragorn and Will turned to Jack for an explanation. "Pirate's code. Any man that falls behind is left behind."

Aragorn huffed. "Nice code."

Will looked annoyed. "No heroes amongst thieves, eh?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "You know, for having such a bleak outlook on pirates, you're well on your way to becoming one. Sprung a man from jail, commandeered a ship of the Fleet, sailed with a buccaneer crew out of Tortuga…" Jack caught Will looking over the side of the boat at the gold and silver pieces scattered about in the water. "…and you're completely obsessed with treasure."

Jack rowed the boat up to the shallows and they got out while Will protested Jack's assessment. "That's not true. I'm not obsessed with treasure."

Jack led them up a mound of rock and stopped when he caught sight of Elizabeth. "Not all treasure is silver and gold mate." Aragorn and Will came up beside Jack to see Barbossa's men crowded around a mound of gold with Barbossa on top, along with the treasure of Cortez and Elizabeth wearing the medallion around her neck, standing over the treasure chest.

"Elizabeth!" Will got up to go to her, but was pulled back down by Aragorn and Jack. Unwittingly, they disturbed a small pile of gold next to Will's hand and several of the gold pieces slid down the rocks with a tinkling noise. Aragorn held his breath, hoping that no one had heard that, and it seemed like the pirates hadn't.

Jack shook his head. "Not yet. We wait for the opportune moment."

Will's eyes burned with fury. "When's that? When it's of greatest profit to you!?"

Jack looked Will in the eyes. "May I ask you something?" Not waiting for Will's response, Jack continued. "Have I ever given you a reason not to trust me?" Will considered that and didn't respond, indicating that he couldn't think of any reason. "Do us a favor, I know it's difficult for you but please stay here…and try not to do anything stupid. Strider, come with me."

Aragorn nodded and followed Jack to an area closer to the pirates. When Jack's attention was fully on them, Aragorn reached into his pocket and withdrew a folded cloth, being careful not to inhale too deeply. Jack scrunched up his nose at the sudden acrid smell around him. Before he knew what was happening, he felt a strong arm wrap around his chest, pinning his arms to his sides. "Strider, what are you doing?!"

Aragorn quickly placed the cloth over Jack's mouth and nose. Jack's eyes went wide and he struggled somewhat until the drug took effect and he went limp against Aragorn's chest. "Sorry, Jack, but I can't let you go through with your plan."

Will watched as Aragorn removed the cloth from Jack's face and placed it back in his pocket. "What are you doing?"

Aragorn looked up and was surprised to see Will standing before him with an oar raised as if he was about to clobber the ranger. "What are you doing?"

Will raised the oar higher. "I am not going to be anyone's leverage!"

Aragorn eased Jack down to the ground. "And I didn't want to see you used as leverage."

Will looked him up and down. "What do you want?"

Aragorn sighed. "You're not the only one who overheard the conversation between Jack and Gibbs that night in Tortuga. It's time you learned to trust me Will. I told you before we got Jack that I wanted to help you and I meant it." He patted his coat pocket. "When I realized what Jack was up to, I went below deck and prepared an herbal mixture, a drug, that my father taught me how to make. Jack is fine, he's just going to sleep for a few minutes, and by then we'll have Elizabeth."

Will sighed and threw the oar to the side. He still didn't trust Strider but he would need help if he wanted to get Elizabeth to safety. "Fine." Aragorn smiled slightly and made his way over to Will. "What do you want me to do?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything in reguards to LORD OF THE RINGS OR POTC. NO money is being made off of this story!**

Rangers and Pirates Chapter 6

Gandalf gently placed his left hand on Aragorn's forehead and tried, but once again failed, to call him back. Gandalf sighed as he turned to face Elrond and Thranduil. "I have tried every healing spell that I know and he still will not respond."

Elrond sank down into the chair behind him and buried his face in his hands. "There has to be something we missed…"

Gandalf turned to Thranduil. "Thranduil, what were Aragorn's worst injuries when he arrived again?"

The elven king thought for a moment before answering, "The worst probably had to be the trauma to his head and ribs. He was also injured by an arrow, but luckily it wasn't poisoned."

Gandalf looked back down at Aragorn, who again began tossing and turning. "You were right, my friend, there is something we missed."

Elrond's head shot up. "What, what is it?"

Gandalf began to explain. "I have seen this a few times before with trauma victims. When it becomes too much for them to withstand, they lock themselves away in… I guess the best way to explain it is their own world. They create a reality in their head with people and places that aren't really there, with events having different outcomes, or they do things they either want to do or think they've done…"

Elrond leaned forward, waiting for Gandalf to continue. The wizard however, was silent. Finally, Elrond couldn't take the silence anymore. "Gandalf, how do we reverse this?"

Gandalf sighed. "There is a spell. It allows someone to enter the reality with the person and then they must try to convince him or her to return. But the risk is great, for you can either deepen their connection with the reality, or whoever goes into the reality may become ensnared by it as well."

"It's a risk I will have to take." Elrond said softly.

Gandalf's head shot up. "No, Elrond, you can not risk yourself!"

Elrond frowned at his longtime friend. "He is my son. I will brave the risks for I would have the best chance of getting him to listen and I would not even think of sending another."

Will carefully surfaced and made his way over to where Elizabeth lay unconscious after Barbossa backhanded her when her blood hadn't lifted the curse. He gently woke her and placed his hand over her mouth when she looked like she was going to yell. "Shhh." He beckoned for her to follow him. Elizabeth reached over and grabbed the medallion, and followed Will out of the pirate filled area and back to the boats where Aragorn awaited them.

Aragorn was throwing the last of the oars into their boat when he noticed Will and Elizabeth running towards him. _That was quick_. Elizabeth practically dove into the boat, almost sending Aragorn, who was standing, flying into the water. Only his excellent sense of balance kept him from falling.

"Hey, if you don't mind, I would like to stay dry for at least a few hours." Aragorn commented wryly. Elizabeth looked somewhat annoyed, but apologized anyway while Will pushed them off and hopped into the boat, and they began to row towards the _Interceptor_. After they exited the cave, Aragorn began dropping the oars from the pirates' boats into the water.

Jack rubbed his hand over his face as he began to wake, the drug finally wearing off. He made a face and spit, trying to get rid of the nasty aftertaste that lingered in his mouth. _What did Strider give me? And why?_ Jack stood, only to come face to face with Barbossa's crew.

Pintel pointed at him. "You! You're supposed to be dead!"

Jack made a face and looked down at himself. "Am I not? Hmm. Puhuley, puhluehvoos, parleli, parsmi, pasley, parle, parle."

The pirate next to Pintel, named Ragetti, spoke the word Jack was looking for. "Parley?"

Jack smiled and pointed at him. "Parley! That's the one. Parley! Parley!"

Pintel rolled his eyes. "Parley? Damned to the depths whatever man who thought of parley."

Jack just shrugged. "That would be the French."

Aragorn swung his legs over the railing and then leaned back over to help Elizabeth up. Once she was on board he turned to help Will. Elizabeth looked at the crew. "Not more pirates."

Gibbs stepped from the line smiling. "Welcome aboard Miss Elizabeth."

Elizabeth looked at him, confusion etched onto her face. "Mr. Gibbs?"

Will came up behind her and began leading her away from the others when he heard Gibbs call to him. "Hey, boy! Where be Jack?"

Elizabeth looked up at Will. "Jack? Jack Sparrow?"

Will didn't answer, but turned around to look at Aragorn, the guilt he was feeling showed clearly in his grey eyes. Aragorn sighed and turned to Gibbs. "He fell behind." The crew looked between each other, whispering, until Gibbs told them they were keeping to the Code, and Ana Maria took charge, and began giving the order to raise the anchor and make way. Will cast one last look back at Aragorn, who had gone with Gibbs to hoist the sails.

Barbossa pushed his way to the front of the crowd and looked at Jack. "How the blazes did you get off that island?"

Jack's face turned to one of hate as he set his eyes upon Barbossa. "When you marooned me on that godforsaken spit of land, you forgot one very important thing, mate. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."

Barbossa stepped closer to him, with the same hate in his own eyes. "Ah, well, I won't be making that mistake again. Gents, you all remember Captain Jack Sparrow…" He turned to his men and began walking away from Jack. "Kill him."

Barbossa's crew readied their pistols to fire when Jack spoke up. "The girl's blood didn't work, did it?"

Barbossa stopped in his tracks. "Hold your fire!" He turned and made his way back to Jack. "You know whose blood we need?"

Jack smiled somewhat wickedly. "I know whose blood ye need."

Gibbs watched Aragorn carefully. The young ranger had always been so full of life, but now he seemed to be deeply troubled and the pirate had a feeling it was something more than having to leave Jack behind. Gibbs made his way over to Aragorn, who had started mumbling something too low for him to hear. "Strider…" Aragorn looked at him, and Gibbs was surprised by the look in his eyes. They were glazed over, and almost had the appearance of glass, and a light seemed to burn brightly in their depths. "…what is wrong with you?"

Aragorn inhaled deeply. "They are coming, we can't beat them… they are going to get the medallion and the one whose blood they need." Aragorn had learned that what his gift of foresight revealed to him was always true in one way or another, and he wasn't about to let these men get what they wanted. He didn't wait for Gibbs to reply, but took off below deck to find Will.

Elizabeth held the medallion out to Will. "It's yours."

He reached out and took the medallion from her and ran his thumb over it. "I thought I lost it the day they rescued me. It was a gift from my father, he sent it to me." He suddenly looked up at her accusingly. "Why did you take it?"

Elizabeth lowered her eyes under his intense gaze. "Because I was afraid that you were a pirate. That would have been awful."

Will clutched the medallion tightly as realization hit him. "It wasn't your blood they needed… it was my father's blood… my blood…the blood of a pirate." Will slammed his hand down on the table causing Elizabeth to jump.

"I'm so sorry, please forgive me." She quickly got up and pushed her way past Aragorn, who had watched the scene between them unfold.

Will narrowed his eyes. "How long have you been there?"

Aragorn shook his head. They really weren't all that different from each other. Both were in love with a woman who was unobtainable to them, and both were afraid of who and what they truly were.

"Strider…" Will pressed, his eyes flashing.

"Not long."


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything in reguards to LORD OF THE RINGS OR POTC. NO money is being made off of this story!**

Rangers and Pirates Chapter 7

Barbossa leaned back in his chair as Jack paced around the table waiting for his reply. "So you expect to leave me standing on some beach with nothing but a name and your word it's the one I need, and watch you sail away in my ship?"

Jack smiled and leaned on the table, grabbing an apple. "No. I expect to leave you standing on some beach with absolutely no name at all, watching me sail away on _my_ ship, and then I'll shout the name back to you. Savvy?"

Barbossa eyed Jack as he sat down on the opposite side of the table, biting into the apple. "But that still leaves us with the problem of me standing on some beach with naught but a name and only your word it's the one I need."

Jack, who had been slouching in the chair, straightened. "Of the two of us, I'm the only one who hasn't committed mutiny, therefore my word is the one we'll be trusting. Although, in fact, if you hadn't betrayed me and left me to die, I would have an equal share of that curse same as you. Funny ol' world, isn't it?" Jack took another bite of the apple and then offered it to Barbossa, who waved it off.

The door to the captain's quarters opened, with Bo'sun standing on the other side. The pirate notified them that they were catching up to the _Interceptor_. Barbossa rose from his seat and made his way out to the deck, followed closely by Jack who was still munching on his apple. "I'm having a thought here Barbossa. What say we run up a flag of truce? I scurry over to the Interceptor and I negotiate the return of your medallion, aye? What say you to that?"

Barbossa turned and smirked at Jack. "Now you see, Jack, that's exactly the attitude that lost you the _Pearl_. People are easy to search when they're dead." He gestured towards one of his men. "Lock him in the brig." Barbossa took the apple from Jack as two pirates came up behind him, grabbing his arms and leading him away from Barbossa, who was so angry that he threw Jack's apple into the sea.

The two pirates shoved Jack into a cell and locked the door, taking the key with them. Jack looked around the tiny cell. Water was coming in from several different spots. "Apparently there's a leak."

The pirate put his eye to a large crack in the side of the ship and peered out. At first all he could see was the waves, and then a large crate floated by, followed by another, and then another. _What in the world?_ Jack thought. As barrels and crates continued to float past, he realized what was going on. The _Interceptor_ was dropping all of her supplies in a desperate attempt to lighten their load and outrun the _Pearl_.

Aragorn sat down in the seat that Elizabeth had just been in and picked up the medallion. "Will, they are coming for us."

Will just stared at him. "Of course they are going to try to find us, Strider, but this is the fastest ship in the Caribbean, they cannot possibly catch up."

Aragorn shook his head and leaned forward, still studying the medallion. "They are coming for us now, and they will get what they are looking for, Will, we aren't going to be able to stop them."

Will stood and snatched the medallion away from Aragorn, his distrust of the ranger beginning to surface again. "And how do you know this, Strider?"

Aragorn also stood and looked Will in the face. He shifted uncomfortably, not knowing whether or not to tell Will the truth. He opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by members of the crew rushing below deck. They both watched as the crew began gathering various things and then running back above deck.

Aragorn moved over to the short man he had compared to a hobbit and asked him what they were all doing. The man informed him that the _Black Pearl_ was quickly gaining on them and that they were lightening the _Interceptor_. The man didn't explain why as he took off back above deck. Aragorn turned and faced Will. "We are going to lose this fight."

Will slammed his shoulder into Aragorn as he pushed by him and followed the others. "We have to try something, Strider."

Aragorn sighed and began to run after him.

Elrohir pulled back from the door and looked at his twin and Legolas, who were expecting good news. "They haven't been able to call him back, but Gandalf knows what is wrong with him and there is a spell that can help." Both smiled broadly until Elrohir informed them of the risks and that Elrond was going to try the spell.

Legolas rubbed his temples while Elladan stared blankly at his brother. "He cannot do this! We may have already lost Estel, I don't want to risk losing Father as well!" the elder twin protested. "There has to be another way…"

Elrohir sighed. "Gandalf didn't say there was."

Legolas looked at the twins. Elladan looked like he was going into a nervous breakdown, and Elrohir looked like he was about to break down crying. "Elrohir, did they say when they were going to do this spell?"

Elrohir ran his hands through his hair. "Tomorrow evening I believe."

Legolas nodded. "And did he say what they would need to perform the spell?"

Elrohir's eyes widened. "Legolas, we cannot do the spell! We don't have enough power or experience in this type of magic."

Elladan sighed. "I agree with Elrohir, Legolas, we cannot do this."

Legolas nodded. "I know which is why I am going to." Both twins looked at him as if he had suddenly grown an extra head.

After a few moments Elladan broke the silence that had befallen them. "Legolas, as much as we appreciate the gesture, we cannot let you take such a risk…"

Legolas raised his hand and silenced the elder twin. "I cannot let your father make such a risk, and I have just as good a chance of bringing Estel back. And besides, I have not gone through a trauma like Aragorn, so if things do not go right I will have you two to call me back." The twins looked at each other and then agreed to help Legolas with the spell.

Will ran up and stopped the crew from throwing a cannon overboard. "We're going to need that." Turning, he made his way up to Gibbs, who was standing by the wheel with Ana Maria and Elizabeth. "Gibbs! We have to make a stand. We must fight! Load the guns!"

Ana Maria looked at him like he was crazy. "With what?"

Will's response was to load them with anything that they had left on board. Gibbs ordered the crew to begin loading the cannons when he noticed Aragorn standing halfway up the stairs. Gibbs pointed at him. "This one here has lost his mind!"

Will rolled his eyes. "I am well aware of that fact."

Aragorn began pleading for them to listen to him, but Will was having none of it. Aragorn stopped him when he tried to push past. "Will, please, you have to trust me! I know what I am talking about!"

Will's anger and frustration finally boiled over and he shoved Aragorn backwards down the steps.

Aragorn let out a cry of surprise as he fell, landing hard on the deck. Opening his eyes, he saw Will standing over him with a look of hate once again plastered on his face. Aragorn had had enough. Lashing out quickly with his legs, he kicked Will's legs out from under him.

As soon as Will hit the deck, Aragorn was sitting on top of him, straddling the blacksmith's stomach. The ranger reached down and grabbed Will's collar, pulling him close as he stared into Will's startled brown eyes. "You know nothing of pain or fear, Turner! Try being caught in a world that is not your own, with no one to trust, and then betraying someone who might have been able to help you! How could I have ever mistaken you for Legolas?! You may share his face, but you are nothing like him, you cold-hearted bastard! I am through trying to help you, and I will have the pleasure of saying 'I told you so' when they take control of this ship!"

Aragorn threw Will back as he rose to his feet, not caring or even taking notice of the tears that had escaped his eyes, nor did he notice the stares he was receiving. He turned and pushed his way through the small crowd that had formed around them and made his way below deck, no longer caring what happened to any of them.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything in reguards to LORD OF THE RINGS OR POTC. NO money is being made off of this story!**

Rangers and Pirates Chapter 8

Aragorn glared out of the corner of his eye at Gibbs as the older pirate helped load the cannons with silverware and various odds and ends. He smirked when the man's whiskey flask was taken from him and shoved into the cannon. _Valar, he'll go into a depression without that thing_.

Gibbs was on his way back up when he noticed Aragorn sitting in the corner, giving him the mother of all death glares. He cautiously approached the ranger, suddenly aware that the boy had reflexes that seemed too fast for any man to possess, and he wasn't about to be caught off guard as Will had been. Aragorn looked as cold and hard as stone, his eyes full of hate and despair, while his voice held an edge that had never before been present.

"What do you want?"

Gibbs watched the boy and sighing, placed his hands on his hips. "We need every man's help Strider."

Aragorn laughed sarcastically, and informed the pirate that since he had 'lost his mind' he was unable to fight.

"Lower the anchor on the right side, on the starboard side!" Elizabeth called. Ana Maria just stared at Elizabeth, while Will agreed with her, saying it was an element of surprise.

"You're daft lady! You both are!"

Gibbs had returned from his conversation with Aragorn and he agreed with Will and Elizabeth. "Daft like Jack!" He turned to the crew. "Lower the starboard anchor!" The crew just stared at him. "Do it ye dogs, or it's you we'll load into the cannons!"

The crew did as they were told, and lowered the anchor over the starboard side, cracking the wood somewhat when it caught and the line went tight. At this, Elizabeth ordered Ana Maria to let go of the wheel. Letting go, she watched as the wheel spun around out of control and the _Interceptor_ began to make a full turn around to face the quickly approaching _Black Pearl_.

Aragorn hopped up from his seat and watched through a peephole as the _Black Pearl_ came up alongside the _Interceptor_ with both crews yelling at each other. He turned and looked at the faces of some of the men who were down with him and sighed. It was easy to say he didn't care about the outcome, but the fact was, he did.

Returning to his seat, he grabbed his sword, along with his bow and quiver and headed up to join the fight that was about to begin. He had just made it up to the deck when he heard both Barbossa and Elizabeth give the order to fire the cannons and swayed somewhat at the sudden jerking caused by the cannon fire.

Legolas opened the door to his chamber. "Took you long enough!"

Elrohir ran in holding a spell book in his right hand and eight small white candles in the other. "I'm sorry; I had to wait until they all went to help Elladan with his 'dislocated' shoulder."

Legolas chuckled. "He popped his shoulder out again?" Elrohir nodded and laughed at his twin. Elladan, oddly enough, was double jointed in his shoulder, and every time the twins needed to distract someone, the elder twin would pop his shoulder out of place. Legolas couldn't understand why the twin's father hadn't caught onto the trick after more than a thousand years.

"Yes, right now he is being led into the healing quarter moaning and wailing."

Legolas shook his head. He could just imagine the scene being created by the eldest son of Elrond.

A sudden shriek filtered through the halls of the palace. Elrohir smiled wickedly at the fair-haired prince. "I think they just fixed his shoulder."

Jack ducked as a hole was blasted through the side of the ship. "STOP BLOWING HOLES IN MY SHIP!" He frowned as he looked around at the various odds and ends scattered around his cell. Suddenly he spotted Gibbs' whiskey flask. Grabbing it he uncorked it and brought it to his mouth, intending to chug down the liquid, only to find it was empty.

Looking up at the cell door, his eyes widened. He stood and went to the door, and pushed it open. The last cannon shot had blown right through the lock on the door.

Gibbs looked down at Elizabeth, who was trying to reload a musket. "We could use a few more ideas, lass."

Elizabeth shook her head and informed them that it was their turn to come up with a plan. Suddenly, Ana Maria grabbed her and pointed her pistol at Elizabeth's head. "We'll give them her!"

Will's face turned grim. "She's not what they're after."

Elizabeth turned to Will when she realized she was no longer wearing the medallion. "Will, the medallion!"

Will's eyes went wide when he remembered that he had left it on the table after he took it away from Aragorn. In a panic he left them to go and retrieve it.

Aragorn brought his knee up into a pirate's groin, then slammed the hilt of his sword down on his head when he doubled over, knocking him unconscious. He was trying to make his way over to where Elizabeth was, but at this rate, he was never going to get there.

He had just beheaded another pirate when a third came up next to him and slammed his elbow into Aragorn's nose with a sickening crunch. Crying out, Aragorn stumbled back, with one hand still holding his sword and the other clasped over his heavily bleeding nose. He recognized the pirate now standing in front of him, who was now grinning broadly at his handy work. "That was for the first time you killed me!"

Aragorn grumbled a dwarfish curse and rolled his eyes as the pirate advanced towards him with a pistol aimed at his head. Aragorn began backing away, when suddenly the pirate's eyes went wide and he fell to the ground with a sword protruding from his back. Aragorn looked up and was surprised to see Will nod at him with a small smile on his face before running off to try and retrieve the medallion.

Aragorn shook his head and continued to make his way towards Elizabeth, trying to figure out if Will really did hate him, or if the blacksmith just enjoyed being a pain in the ass.

Jack made his way up to the main deck and headed over to the railing, retrieving a swing line from another pirate. "Thanks very much."

Wrapping the rope around his hands, he swung over to the _Interceptor_ and ended up landing by Gibbs who yelled his name in surprise. Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out the whiskey flask, handing it back to the other man. "Bloody empty!"

Jack sank down next to Elizabeth. "Where is the medallion?" Elizabeth pretended to toss the medallion, telling him to fetch it when he caught her hand, noticing the bandage. "Ah, where's dear William?"

Elizabeth looked past him and saw that the door to the lower deck was now pinned shut because of the mast that had fallen, along with several other pieces of debris. Calling out Will's name, she got up, pushing past Jack and made her way to the door.

"Jack…"

Jack stood up and came face to face with Aragorn, who was looking much the way he had when the pirate had first found him. He had blood running down his chin and neck from his nose, and bruises were starting to form around both of his eyes because his nose had been hit so hard. "Come to drug me again, Strider?"

Aragorn lowered his eyes. "No, I am sorry Jack."

Jack's eyes grew huge and he pointed behind Aragorn, yelling, "Monkey!" Aragorn watched as he ran off and realized that the monkey had the medallion and was taking it over to Barbossa. Not hesitating a second longer he ran after Jack.

Elizabeth looked through the grated door and to her horror found Will trapped below, with the quickly rising water. He called out her name as she moved away and tried to move the planks of wood out of the way, but to no avail. "I can't move it!"

She was suddenly grabbed from behind and one of Barbossa's crew began pulling her way. "WILL!"

Will hung onto the grating, watching as she was dragged away. "Elizabeth!"

Jack lunged, trying to catch the monkey, but missed, and watched as he ran up to Barbossa and handed him the medallion.

Barbossa looked down at Jack. "Why thank ye, Jack."

Jack half-heartedly smiled. "You're welcome."

"Not you, we named the monkey Jack."

Barbossa cast a dirty look past Jack at Aragorn, who now wore a look of defeat on his face, replacing his determined look that had been there only moments ago. Barbossa smiled as he turned from the two and held up the medallion. "Gents, our hope is restored!"


	9. Chapter 9

Rangers and Pirates Chapter 9

Rangers and Pirates Chapter 9

Elladan watched as Legolas, who was clad all in black, continued to stare out the window and tap his fingers on the arm of his chair. The usually so calm prince was a bundle of nerves as he waited for the twins to finish setting up the white candles in a sacred circle.

"Legolas…"

Legolas sighed as he turned to face Elrohir, who was holding out a black robe. "...you need to wear this for the ritual." Nodding Legolas rose from his chair taking the robe and slipped it over his head. The robe was made of a light fabric elaborately embroidered with silver leaf work around the collar and sleeves and reached all the way down to the floor. Elrohir gently touched Legolas' arm and gave him a comforting smile. "You don't have to do this Legolas, you know that right?"

Legolas nodded and smiled back. "He would do this for me."

Once Elladan finished lighting the candles he moved over to the door and bolted it shut while Elrohir extinguished all the other light sources besides the eight candles. Legolas stood by the circle waiting for the twins to direct him. Elrohir held the leather bound book in his hands and opened it to the spell.

"Okay, Legolas, before you step into the circle you have to say 'Tonight I consciously leave my body', and then step into the circle and say 'Astral shell, awaken when I need you'. Once you say that you must cut your palms with the dagger that is in the circle while saying 'Tonight I consciously leave my body, Astral shell, awaken when I need you'. After that sit in the circle and close your eyes, completely relax your body, and clear your mind. It says that you should feel like a slight pulling when the spell takes effect. Oh and to get back you have to perform the spell again. "

Legolas frowned and looked at Elrohir. "All those risks for such an easy spell?" Elrohir just shrugged his shoulders. Legolas sighed and inhaled deeply as he stepped closer to the circle of candles. "Tonight I consciously leave my body..." picking up the robes slightly he stepped into the circle "...Astral shell, awaken when I need you." Legolas bent down and picked up the dagger, which was made of gold with blood red rubies set into the handle, and wincing made a deep cut on each of his palms. "Tonight I consciously leave my body, Astral shell, awaken when I need you."

Legolas locked eyes with each of the twins as he sunk down to the floor and sat cross legged. He smiled halfheartedly at them before he closed his eyes and began breathing deeply to help relax and clear his mind. After a few minutes he felt a slight tingling spread through his body. It only lasted a few seconds before it passed. Legolas sighed. "I don't think this is working El." There was no reply from the twins. "El?"

Legolas opened his eyes and found himself seated outside in the sand among palm trees that were rejoicing to be in the presence of the elf prince. Legolas got to his feet and looked around in wonder at the beautiful place his friend had conjured up in his dreams. Or had he? This all seemed too real to be a dream. Legolas began wandering around seeing if he could find any trace of his lost friend.

Jack's entire crew was now aboard the _Black Pearl_ being threatened by Pintel. "If any of you as much as thinks the word parley, I'll have your guts for garters." Aragorn rolled his eyes as his hands were bound too tightly behind his back cutting off the circulation after only a few minutes. Jack was about to have his hands tied when the _Interceptor_ exploded not far off. Aragorn watched as Elizabeth broke away and began yelling at Barbossa who roughly grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her back somewhat.

"Welcome back, Miss. You took advantage of our hospitality last time. All fair's now that you return the favor." Elizabeth began screaming as Barbossa shoved her back to the awaiting crew.

"BARBOSSA!" Jack and Aragorn looked away from Elizabeth and back towards Barbossa to see a soaked, yet very much alive, Will standing by the railing pointing a pistol at the captain of the _Black Pearl_. "She goes free!"

Barbossa just looked at Will like he was nuts. "What's in your head, boy?"

Will narrowed his eyes and readied the pistol to fire. "She goes free."

Barbossa just smirked at him sarcastically. "You've only got one shot and we can't die."

Jack began pleading with him in a whisper. "Don't do anything stupid!"

But of course Will ignored him and jumped up onto the railing and aimed the pistol at himself. "You can't. I can."

Jack threw his hands in the air. "Like that."

Aragorn groaned and let his head fall back. "Will _dolle naa lost_ Will your head is empty!"

Barbossa eyed Jack, gauging his reaction, before turning back to Will and looking him up and down. "Who are you?"

Jack pulled away from the pirates who were holding him back and stood between Will and Barbossa before Will did another idiotic thing and told Barbossa who he was. "No one. He's no one. A distant cousin of my aunt's nephew twice removed. Lovely singing voice, though..." Jack pointed back at Will. "...Eunuch."

Aragorn felt a smile tug at the corner of his mouth at the disgusted look Will gave Jack before he screwed up again.

"My name is Will Turner. My father was Bootstrap Bill Turner. His blood runs in my veins. On my word do as I say or I'll pull this trigger and be lost forever to Davy Jones' Locker."

Jack half cringed half smiled and he scooted away from Barbossa and moved to stand next to Aragorn while Ragetti pointed out that Will was a spitting image of Bootstrap Bill who had come back to haunt them.

Barbossa looked at Will smugly. "Name your terms, Mr. Turner."

"Elizabeth goes free."

Barbossa rolled his eyes. "Yes, we know that one. Anything else?"

Will waved the pistol around. "And the crew, the crew are not to be harmed."

"Agreed." Jack, who had been pointing at himself let his arms fall to his sides as he turned to Aragorn who didn't seemed the least bit surprised Will hadn't mentioned them.

"You expected different from dear William?" Aragorn said to Jack sarcastically.

"Go on! Walk the plank!"

Elizabeth was shoved on to the plank while Will made his way over to Barbossa. "Barbossa, you lying bastard! You swore she'd go free!"

Barbossa looked at Will smugly. "Don't dare impugn me honor, boy. I agreed she'd go free, it was you who failed to specify when or where. Though does seem a shame to lose something so fine, don't it lads?" They pirates all agreed with their Captain as he made his way towards Elizabeth. "So I'll be having that dress back before you go."

Jack turned to the pirate who was holding him and smiled at him. "I always liked you."

Elizabeth, once she was free of the dress, tossed it to Barbossa. "It goes with your black heart."

Barbossa caught the dress and turned back to face his crew. "Ooh, it's still warm." The crew laughed, while others yelled at Elizabeth to jump. Elizabeth took small careful steps as she got closer to the edge, pissing off the pirates to the point that one of them shook the plank, causing her to lose her balance and fall with a yell into the water.

Barbossa smiled and signaled to the pirate holding Aragorn. The pirate nodded, cutting the rope binding Aragorn's wrists before shoving him towards the plank as well. Aragorn rubbed his aching hands as he turned to face Barbossa who nodded at the plank. "Go on lad you're next!"

Aragorn narrowed his eyes at Barbossa and his crew as he backed onto the plank. "_Auta miqula orqu_ Go kiss an orc.."

Barbossa frowned and walked closer to the plank. "I don't like the sound of that." Barbossa stomped on the plank as hard as he could, causing Aragorn's boots to slip on the slick wood and he began to fall over the side. But instead of landing in the water he caught the edge of the plank and held on for dear life as he dangled over the waters of the Caribbean.

He thought about dragging himself back up, but realized that no matter what he was going to end up on that island, so he let go of the side of the plank landing in the waiting water below. When he came up he could hear the crew cheering because he fell. Rolling his eyes he began to swim after Elizabeth.

Jack looked over the side at the two figures swimming away before he faced Barbossa. "I really had rather hoped we were past all this."

"Jack. Jack! Did ya not notice? That bit is the same bit of island that we made you Governor of on our last little trip."

Jack turned and looked at the island then looked back at Barbossa. "I did notice."

Barbossa pushed Jack closer to the plank. "Perhaps you'll be able to conjure up another miraculous escape. But I doubt it. Off you go."

Jack held up his hands and pointed out that the last time they had given him a pistol with one shot and that since there was going to be three of them a gentleman would give each a pistol.

"It'll be one pistol as before, and you and the lad can be the gentlemen and shoot the lady and starve to death yourselves." With that Barbossa threw Jack's belongings into the water which Jack dove in after.

Jack, Aragorn and Elizabeth now stood on the beach watching as the black sailed ship began to move further and further away from the island. Jack sighed sadly. "That's the second time I've had to watch that man sail away with my ship."

Elizabeth took a step closer to him. "But you were marooned on this island before, weren't you? So we can escape in the same way you did then."

Jack just frowned at her. "To what point and purpose, young missy? The _Black Pearl_ is gone and unless you have a rudder and a lot of sails hidden in that bodice, unlikely, young Mr. Turner will be dead long before you can reach him." Aragorn and Elizabeth followed him as he moved off from the beach and into the thin line of palm trees nearby obviously looking for something.

"But you're Captain Jack Sparrow. You vanished from under the eyes of seven agents of the East India Company. You sacked Nassau Port without even firing a shot..." Jack began clearing some branches away from a hidden door as Elizabeth yammered on. "...Are you the pirate I've read about or not? How did you escape last time?"

Jack opened the door and then faced Elizabeth and an obviously very interested Aragorn. "Last time… I was here a grand total of three days, alright? Last time…" Jack paused as headed down the stairs and began rummaging around. "...the rumrunners used this island as a cache. Came by and I was able to barter a passage off. From the looks of things, they've long been out of business. Probably have your bloody friend Norrington to thank for that."

Jack reemerged holding three bottles of rum in his hand which obviously pissed Elizabeth off.

"So that's it then? That's the secret grand adventure of the infamous Jack Sparrow? You spent three days lying on a beach, drinking rum?!"

Jack just smiled at them and handed them each a bottle of rum. "Welcome to the Caribbean." Jack suddenly dropped his bottle of rum and pointed past them. "Now THAT is interesting." Elizabeth and Aragorn looked at each other and then back at Jack who was heading back down the stairs.

Aragorn shook his head. "Jack, what are you doing now?" The sound of Jack rummaging around again came from below them.

"I think we're going to be needing more rum. Or at least I know I am."

"Aragorn?"

Aragorn's eyes widened and he spun around when he heard an all too familiar voice call him by his true name. His eyes widened when he saw not Will but the fair haired, blue eyed prince of Mirkwood dressed all in black smiling broadly at him.

"Legolas?!"


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything in reguards to LORD OF THE RINGS OR POTC. NO money is being made off of this story!**

Rangers and Pirates Chapter 10

Elizabeth also turned to see Legolas standing about three feet away from them, dressed in his black leggings and tunic, holding the robe he had worn for the spell in his hand. She hadn't really gotten a good look at Legolas before Aragorn ran and dove onto the elf, sending them both rolling back a little ways laughing and trying to talk over one another in the excitement of being reunited.

Aragorn was so full of joy to finally see this face; his friend's face glad to see him. Looking down into the sparkling sapphire eyes of his best friend, he wondered how he could have compared Will to Legolas. Legolas laughed as he pushed the ranger off of him and sat up leaning on his elbows.

"I guess that answers the question of are you ok..."

Aragorn was now kneeling beside Legolas, who finally noticed the injuries to his face and reached out, gingerly touching the ranger's face just below his bruised eyes and the area around his somewhat swollen and red nose. Aragorn watched as Legolas' expression changed to one of concern when he noted the crimson stains on his faded black tunic.

"...well maybe you are not as well as you seem."

Aragorn brushed his hand away still smiling down at the elf. "I'm fine, this is nothing compared to the condition I was in when I arrived here."

Legolas sighed. "I know the shape you were in when you arrived."

Aragorn frowned and was about to ask him how he had known, when he heard Jack stumbling back up the stairs carrying six to eight extra bottles of rum in his arms. Jack dropped the bottles, except for one, which he immediately uncorked and began chugging back. Aragorn inwardly cringed. If Jack was having this reaction to Legolas just because he looked like Will, what would he do when he found out he was an elf?

Legolas also noticed Jack and laughed as he watched the man stumbling around with his rum. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your new friends?"

Aragorn nodded. "Of course." Standing he offered Legolas a hand up which the elf graciously accepted, and followed Aragorn over to his two companions.

Elizabeth realized why Jack wanted more rum; this man looked just like Will! Rubbing her hands over her face she hoped Jack brought up enough rum for the both of them. However she did find herself becoming intrigued by Legolas, mainly of course because of the resemblance to Will, but there were also things about him that were completely different, like how graceful and elegant his strides were, his long platinum blond hair that was being whipped around him by the breeze coming up the beach, how much paler he was than the rest of them, his hypnotizing blue eyes. Elizabeth then noticed his pointed ears and did a double take not sure whether or not she was mistaken, but they were indeed pointed. She felt the color drain from her face and began pointing at him.

"Your ears are pointed, why are your ears pointed?!"

Jack, also taking notice to the elf's ears dropped the bottle of rum and began pointing at him as well while backing away somewhat. "Who are you?! WHAT are you?!"

"I am Legolas, son of Thranduil, Elf lord of Mirkwood."

Jack just stood stupefied, while Elizabeth looked at Legolas skeptically, forgetting about her sudden infatuation. "ELF, you can't be an elf they don't exist!"

Legolas frowned. "Well since I am an elf I beg to differ."

Aragorn dropped his head into his hands, softly groaning as Elizabeth and Legolas began bickering about elves existing and not existing. In all honesty he was expecting this kind of reaction from Jack, who was just looking back and forth between the fighting woman and elf, but not from Elizabeth, who he could tell was really starting to get on Legolas' last nerve and his as well. Aragorn after a few minutes stepped between the two. "Both of you that is ENOUGH!"

Legolas fell silent at his friend's command as did Elizabeth, both staring at Aragorn waiting for him to take a side on the issue, as was Jack who actually was shifting his gaze from the ranger to Legolas' pointed ears. Aragorn sighed as he turned to Elizabeth. "He speaks the truth Elizabeth, he is indeed an elf."

Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest and gave both Aragorn and Legolas a cocky look. "I hardly believe in fairytales anymore Strider."

Jack watched as Legolas' face turned to one of absolute loathing, a look Will had mostly reserved for he and Strider, and at the elf's reaction to Elizabeth, Jack himself began to realize Legolas was indeed different from Will. Clearing his throat caused the three of them to turn their attention to him.

"Well Elizabeth you also no longer believed in ghost stories and as Barbossa told you, you're in one."

"How did you know of our conversation?"

Jack smiled broadly, revealing to Legolas his gold capped teeth. "Let's just say Barbossa and I had a little talk while I was aboard the Pearl."

Elizabeth looked between her three companions before grabbing a bottle of the rum Jack had retrieved, and huffily storming off down the beach mumbling curses at them as she went.

Legolas' eyes continued to burn with the fury caused by Elizabeth's words to him. Elves had been the first born, they had left Middle-Earth to the humans' care, and to now find that his kind were thought of as nothing more than mythical creatures who never truly existed made his blood run cold. This world he and Aragorn were now in was the true fairytale world, not Middle Earth and its inhabitants. Legolas was drawn form his thoughts by Aragorn, who laid his hand on his friend's shoulder and gently squeezed it and gave him a sympathetic look. Legolas smiled slightly. These peoples' beliefs were not what was important to him. What was important to him was convincing Aragorn to return home with him. Looking to his left, he took in Jack's appearance, which had to be by far one of the oddest he had seen, which was saying something.

Aragorn's mood began to change when he saw his friend's lighten somewhat. Smiling he patted his friend's shoulder and gestured to Jack. "Legolas this is CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow. He has been helping me since I arrived here."

Legolas chuckled slightly when Aragorn emphasized Captain and extended a long slender hand to Jack who cautiously placed his hand in the elf's hoping it wasn't a repeat of the hand shake he and Norrington had shared a week or so back. As the two shook hands and Legolas thanked Jack for watching out for Aragorn, Jack took notice to how light the elf's touch was around his hand.

Jack returned the smile Legolas was giving him and then stated to Aragorn that he liked this version of Will much better.

Legolas cocked his head to the side. "Version of who?"

Aragorn just made a face trying to decide the best way to go about tell Legolas about the brown-haired uptight version of himself and about what he had been doing this whole time when Jack broke in. "Oh it's really no big deal, I found him hurt, he volunteered to help me and Will, who by the way you are identical to, on our little voyage to rescue Miss Swann." Jack pointed in the direction Elizabeth had gone, and then pointed at Aragorn. "Young Strider here makes an excellent pirate; well except for the whole sea sick thing."

Legolas faced Aragorn his face full of confusion and disbelief. "Pirates! _Le abtua corsairs_ you are helping Corsairs?!"

"_Corsairs... aiya_ Oh _Corsairs_!" Aragorn slapped a hand to his forehead and faced Jack with a goofy grin on his face. "I have heard of pirates before!"

Jack just nodded, smiling lopsidedly at Aragorn, while Legolas ran a hand through his hair and looked down to the ground sighing. "_Aiya Estel_..."

Aragorn remembered some of the stories he had heard about the Corsairs from his brothers and realized why his friend was concerned. They didn't have all too good of a reputation to say the least. But the men and women he had been sailing with were good people and in his opinion proved that corsairs or pirates weren't all bad.

Jack easily read the dislike on Legolas' face. "Perhaps you aren't so different from Will..."

Jack immediately fell silent from the glare he got from Aragorn, who ground out darkly, "He is NOTHING like Will."

"Then he will have no problem taking commands."

Legolas frowned at the man before him. Who was Jack to think that he would just accept his commands? And why would he be taking commands from this pirate? The only ones who he would take a command from were his father, Elrond, Gandalf and the only human was Aragorn. This ignorant man obviously did not classify with them.

"And why would I be taking commands from you?"

"Well I just assumed that you would now be tagging along with Strider here..."

Legolas shrugged his shoulders. "Your point being?"

"His point is that I promised to help him on this journey until it was finished..." Aragorn lowered his eyes while pushing a stray strand of hair out of his face and spoke quietly so only Legolas could hear, "...which I fear it is far from being...if my foresight was correct."

Legolas was now at a total loss. It was obvious that his friend intended to stick to his word and help this man, who Legolas at the moment didn't like much. But he also figured the pirate must have his good qualities if Aragorn was willing to risk his life to help him. But then his thoughts drifted back to Elrohir's warning to him. If they stayed here too much longer they would both be stuck in this place, but if he tried to force Aragorn out against his will, he would deepen the man's connection to this world. Legolas then also realized that no matter what they would have to wait for they had none of the supplies needed (except the robe he had worn) to repeat the spell so they could return to Middle-Earth.

Not having any other choice Legolas reluctantly agreed to accompany Jack. _I cannot believe I am doing this, wait until my father finds out about this...he is going to KILL me!_

Jack smirked at the elf and handed him and Aragorn a bottle of rum "Welcome to the Caribbean, elf boy."

Aragorn chuckled at the face his friend made at being called 'elf boy'. Legolas sighed and looked at the bottle in his hand and then to his friend. "I have a feeling I'm going to need A LOT of this over the next couple of days."

"If you think you need a lot now wait until you meet Will!"

Legolas groaned. He had completely forgotten about this Will who he looked exactly like and it seemed no one here liked much. _What have I gotten myself into?_

Elladan jumped at the sudden knocking at the door. Turning to his twin they both gave each other identical looks of alarm at the sound of their father's voice filtering through the door demanding to know what they were doing.

"Nothing _Ada_!" was Elrohir's response while his twin just sat staring at Legolas, quietly pleading for him to snap out of his current state of being.

"Then what is all this?!" Both spun around at the sound of Gandalf's voice coming from behind them. Turning they saw him standing in the door way to the adjoining room, the one door they had forgotten to lock. The twins cringed as the lock was thrown and their father stepped in, followed closely by Thranduil, who immediately began making his way towards his son only to be stopped by Gandalf.

"You cannot disturb him Thranduil for he is now in a delicate state of being. Any disturbance and he could be lost."

The blond elf lord looked helplessly between the wizard and his son who was murmuring the way Aragorn had been doing the past week. Thranduil felt his temper begin to boil over as he turned to face the twins who at the moment were cowering under their father's glare. Gandalf slowly made his way over to the younger of the twins and suddenly grabbed Elrohir's' arm in a vice like grip. "What were you three thinking?! Do you have any idea what you have now gotten Legolas into, how dangerous the risks are?!"

Elladan looked at his twin and then to the ground. "We all knew the risks; and that's why Legolas decided to try the spell, he has as good a chance of bringing Estel back and he didn't want _Ada_ to be lost as well."

Elrond stood in shock at what his son said, while Thranduil looked back at Legolas. "And now I may have lost my son as well."

Elladan and Elrohir apologized to Thranduil before they turned and left the room leaving the three elders alone. Gandalf placed his hand on Thranduil's shoulder. "They are right my friend, Legolas does have as good a chance as Elrond, and your son is strong I believe he will be able to come out of this."

"I hope you're right." With that Thranduil turned and exited the room, closely followed by Elrond, who called after him.

"Mithrandir is right Thranduil; Legolas is strong, do not lose hope."

Thranduil stopped and looked over his shoulder. "As is your son, but he hasn't been able to wake has he?" Elrond watched silently as Thranduil continued down the hall and prayed that Legolas and Aragorn were both strong enough to wake for their now shared dream.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything in reguards to LORD OF THE RINGS OR POTC. NO money is being made off of this story!**

Rangers and Pirates Chapter 11

The fire burned high into the night as the four drunks continued to dance and sing around it. To an observer looking on, the sight would seem very odd, as three men and a young woman all sang a song about pirates.

"We're devils and black sheep and really bad eggs! Drink up me 'earties, yo ho! Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me!"

Jack and Elizabeth linked arms and spun around laughing as an extremely drunk Legolas and Aragorn continued to hop around singing the words to the song… or rather the very few words they remembered, in no particular order.

Jack spun away from Elizabeth, almost slamming into the drunken elf. "I love this song! Really bad eggs! Woo." Jack fell to the sand with a soft thud and took another swig of his rum as the other three made their way over to him. "When I get the _Pearl_ back, I'm gonna teach it to the whole crew, and we'll sing it all the time!"

Legolas grinned goofily as he smacked Aragorn on the arm, making him gag a little on his drink. "Estel, we should _:hic:_ teach this song to your brothers as well!"

Aragorn nodded in agreement as he fell flat on his back and gazed up at the stars. "Yah know what I think? I think we should get drunk more often! Rum is good, rum is my friend."

Jack frowned as the two began laughing about Aragorn's rum analogy. "Why did you call him Estel?"

Legolas chugged back some more rum before answering. "Because Estel is his name."

"But I thought his name was Strider." Jack said in confusion.

Aragorn sat up, leaning on his elbows. "Both are my name, as well as Aragorn and a few others." Jack and Elizabeth looked at each other and then back at the ranger as he began to explain his names. "You know me as Strider, ranger of the North, but I am also known as Estel, adopted son of Lord Elrond of Rivendell, and I have only recently learned my true identity, which is Aragorn, son of Arathorn, chieftain of the Dunedain and heir of…"

Aragorn began snapping his fingers, trying to recall something. "Legolas, help me out here, I'm drawing a blank."

"Drawing a blank on what?"

Aragorn frowned at the elf, who obviously wasn't paying any attention to him. "Who am I the heir of?"

Legolas scratched his head. "Isildur…yeah that's it."

After a few moments of silence, Jack's curiosity got the better of him. "And what exactly are you the heir of, mate?"

Aragorn seemed to sober at the question. Sighing, he looked at Jack, who was obviously waiting for an answer. "I am the heir to the throne of Gondor."

Jack and Elizabeth's eyes widened at the answer, which was most certainly one they were not expecting. The four of them had cleared up the issue of how Legolas had gotten there and the issue of elves and such earlier in the day, with Jack and Elizabeth eventually accepting that the elf and ranger were from another world, which they called Middle-Earth. But to find out that Strider was actually a king or future king from that world was almost too shocking and incredible to believe.

After a brief silence, Jack grinned. "You're a King?! My lord you should have told me sooner!" Jack placed his hand over his heart and bowed his head in a joking way at the ranger, who had a look of despair because of his heritage and a hint of annoyance from Jack's joke, on his face.

"I said I was the heir, I never said I was the King!" Aragorn snapped angrily, his voice rising to a shout as the rum had impaired his ability to control his tone.

Jack's head shot up at Aragorn's shouting and found himself being glared at by the ranger. If looks could kill, Jack would most certainly be dead. He of course had his doubts, seeing as how they were all drunk as skunks, and he had just assumed that Aragorn was fibbing, but he began to change his mind upon seeing the reaction his joke had sparked. He was silent for a long moment. "You're serious, aren't you?"

Aragorn just stared at the pirate with the light from the fire dancing across his features, making him look older and wiser, and giving Jack and Elizabeth a brief glimpse of the fair, powerful, and caring king he would one day become.

After about five minutes of awkward silence, Legolas suddenly gave a small cry of surprise, making his companions look at him. Legolas looked between the three of them and stuck out his bottom lip in a pout. "My rum went bye-bye!"

He then turned his bottle over to prove it was indeed empty. Aragorn finally lost control and burst out laughing at the elf who was still pouting over his lack of rum, while Jack and Elizabeth joined in on the ranger's laughter as well.

"I'll tell you what Aragorn…"

Aragorn wiped tears of mirth from his eyes and looked over at Jack. "…when I get the _Pearl_ back, and if you two can't get back to your Middle-Earth, what do you say to sticking with me and sailing the open seas?"

Aragorn and Legolas looked at each other and it was Legolas who agreed to take Jack up on his offer if they were unable to get back. Jack smiled and tossed the Elf another bottle of rum as Elizabeth turned to him hiccupping.

With a guffaw at the interaction between Jack and Elizabeth, Aragorn turned his attention back to Legolas, a stupefied expression on his face as his friend began to practice his archery. Hiccupping, he addressed Legolas, not realizing that he had begun to pick up a bit of Jack's brogue. "_Mellon nin_, what exactly be ye doin' over there, shooting arrows all willy-nilly into the palms?"

Legolas, grunting by way of a reply, kept shooting, disturbing a flock of sleeping macaws who chattered amongst themselves at the rude interruption of the arrows. Cawing down to the archer, one unfortunate bird had his tail feathers split neatly in half by an ill-aimed arrow.

Leaving the drunken Elf to his practice, Aragorn turned to spy Elizabeth, laughing as the disturbed parrot flew down to complain loudly to Legolas about being disturbed, a surprising amount of sailor vernacular peppering its vocabulary and making Elizabeth blush.

Legolas stumbled over to the group, dropping to his knees. His arrows spent, his bow left hanging on one of the attacked palms, he settled back onto his knees eyeing Jack and Aragorn. "You know Estel I was thinking that if we take up old Jack here up on his offer…"

"You'll be positively the most fearsome pirates in the Spanish Main!" Elizabeth clapped her hands in glee, giggling a bit and looking about for more rum.

Jack shook his head. "Not just the Spanish Main, love, the entire ocean, the entire world. Wherever we want to go, that's what a ship is you know. It's not a keel and a hull and a deck and sails, that's what a ship needs. But what a ship is… what the _Black Pearl_ really is…is freedom."

Elizabeth held up her bottle and toasted, "To freedom!"

Jack raised his bottle and toasted the _Black Pearl_ before he again began chugging back the liquor, only this time he ended up passing out.

Aragorn chuckled and got to his feet with a small stagger, saying that Jack had a very good idea. The ranger turned and helped Legolas to his feet, although they both nearly ended up back on the ground again, and then they headed off a little further down the beach. They lay down side by side as they had done in the past on their many previous hunting trips and adventures, and Aragorn rolled onto his back to look up at the stars. He was amazed to find that they were the same here as they were at home. After a few moments, Aragorn rolled over onto his side and faced Legolas. "I'm glad you're here with me, Legolas."

Legolas turned his head and smiled broadly at his young human friend. "So am I, _mellon nin_." With that, the two friends slipped into a deep sleep.

Jack woke slowly to the sounds of the waves crashing to shore and the smell of _burning wood?!_ His eyes flew open and he sat up, turning to see that Elizabeth was burning the food and rum, with the palm trees also igniting. As another explosion went off, Jack hopped up and ran towards her, waving his arms in the air.

"No! Not good! Stop! What are you doing? You burned all the shade, the food, the rum?!"

Elizabeth walked past him a little ways, surprised to see that Aragorn and Legolas were still out cold and not showing any signs of getting up for a long time yet. She smiled slightly before she answered the frantic pirate. "Yes, the rum is gone."

Jack's eyes went wide. "Why is the rum gone?!"

Elizabeth turned suddenly and gave him a smug look. "One, because it is a vile drink that turns even the most respectable men into complete scoundrels. Two, that signal is over a thousand feet high. The entire Royal Navy is out looking for me, do you really think there is even the slightest chance that they won't see it?"

Jack just stared at her, his eyes still wide. "But why is the rum gone?"

Elizabeth just rolled her eyes and turned away from him, taking a seat on the sand. "Just wait, Captain Sparrow. Give it one hour, maybe two, keep a weather eye open and you will see white sails on that horizon."

Jack was so furious he took out his pistol and was about to aim it at her, but then he thought twice about it and putting the gun away stalked off. Once he was far enough away, he began imitating her. He stopped suddenly, looking off into the distance, where he spied a white-sailed ship not far offshore.

"There'll be no living with her after this." Jack sighed and turned around, making his way back to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth smiled at Jack, who was looking more miserable than she had ever seen him. "I told you it would work."

Jack gave her his meanest 'I hate you' look, before suggesting that they wake the still unconscious ranger and elf.

"Strider… hey Strider!" Jack called as he shook the ranger's shoulder.

"Maybe he's going by a different name today." Elizabeth commented.

Jack just made a face at her before shaking the ranger again. "Aragorn, get up!"

Aragorn grumbled as he moved his head ever so slightly, looking at Jack out of the corner of his eye, which was barely even open. "What do you want?"

Elizabeth, who was standing behind Jack, chose that moment to look at Legolas. She suddenly gave an ear-piercing scream, which caused Aragorn to sit up so quickly that he and Jack slammed foreheads, while Legolas jumped to his feet and immediately dropped into a crouching defensive position.

"Where are they?" Aragorn sat up and rocked back and forth slightly. He'd already had a headache from the hangover, and now the pain had been doubled from smashing foreheads with Jack.

"Where is what?"

"The orc, I heard it's screech!" Legolas demanded.

Jack sat up from where he'd fallen backwards into the sand, still slightly dazed. "That was Elizabeth who 'screeched' and what the hell is an orc?"

Elizabeth stared at Legolas and began stammering. "You…you were dead!"

Legolas looked at her, confused. "I was?"

"Your eyes were open!"

Once Aragorn's brain let him process what Elizabeth was saying he groaned and let himself fall back, his arms outstretched. "He is an elf and elves sleep with their eyes _open_, not closed."

Elizabeth looked at Legolas and scrunched up her face. "That is so freaky, how can you sleep like that?"

"Well, I can't exactly help the way I sleep!"

Both Jack and Aragorn grumbled as the two of them began bickering again. The argument finally came to a halt when Jack began screaming shut up repeatedly, sounding like a broken record.

Aragorn chuckled to himself. _This is going to be a LONG day_.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything in reguards to LORD OF THE RINGS OR POTC. NO money is being made off of this story!**

Rangers and Pirates Chapter 12

"You may want to let your hair down mate."

Legolas frowned slightly as he looked at Jack. "Why?"

Jack began pointing out that the now not far off solders probably weren't going to take to well to him because of his and Will's resemblance and that it wouldn't help matters if they took notice to his ears and the whole elf thing came into discussion.

Nodding Legolas freed his hair of the braids holding it back letting it fall over his ears. But to their dismay the breeze kept blowing the elf's long hair back and leaving his ears exposed. Jack laughed as he watched Aragorn and Legolas try and situate his hair over his ears but to no avail. Aragorn grumbled in frustration when an idea hit him.

"Maybe you should try walking backwards!"

Grabbing Legolas by the shoulders, he turned him around so that the elf's back was now to him and stepping in front of him he began pushing Legolas backwards the wind now blowing the elf's hair into his face and as Aragorn suspected covered his ears but left the poor elf with a seriously bad case of shore hair.

Legolas rolled his eyes and pushed Aragorn's arms away from him and glared. _This is humiliating!_

"I am NOT walking backwards Estel, I look ridiculous!"

Aragorn jokingly rolled his eyes. "Fine have it your way you prissy elf!"

Jack's eyes widened. _Oh no, please don't tell me these two are gonna fight too! _But much to his relief the two didn't go on but just laughed lightly at the jest. After a few minutes Jack's attention was drawn from the two friends by some shouting coming from the small group of solders running towards them. Once they spotted Legolas most came to a dead stop. Jack sighed and turned back to the two friends as Elizabeth ran up to the solders. "Get ready to have some fun elf boy."

Aragorn watched as they hauled the elf over the railing of the _Dauntless_ and pinned his arms behind his back. Aragorn was honestly amazed at the men's calm reactions to Legolas, most just ignored the fact that he looked like Will, _Denial_, while others whispered quietly amongst themselves. Legolas glanced at Aragorn, the elf's tolerance already beginning to run low as the soldiers began to drag them both closer to Governor Swann and Norrington, who were both arguing with Elizabeth about going back and saving Will.

"The boy's fate is regrettable but then so is his decision to engage in piracy."

Elizabeth looked at her father in disbelief. "To rescue me, to prevent anything from happening to me!"

Jack pulled away from the men holding him back and made his way to Elizabeth's side. "If I may be so bold as to interject my professional opinion. The _Pearl_ was listing near the scuppers after the battle. It's very unlikely she'll be able to make good time. Think about it, the _Black Pearl_, the last real pirate threat in the Caribbean, mate. How can you pass that up?"

Aragorn sighed as Norrington's face again became smug.

"By remembering that I serve others Mr. Sparrow, not only myself."

Aragorn smiled wickedly deciding to interrupt Norrington again since he had seemed to love it so much before. "Well if you serve others you will most certainly be doing them a great service by riding them of this pirate threat, would you not?"

Legolas chuckled as Norrington narrowed his eyes at the Ranger and opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but instead turned and made his way up the stairs followed by Elizabeth.

"Commodore, I beg you. Please do this, for me…as a wedding gift."

Jack, Aragorn and Legolas just stared at them with blank expressions while a smile appeared on the Governor's face.

"Elizabeth. Are you accepting the Commodore's proposal?"

Elizabeth was quiet for only a moment as she stared at the Commodore. "I am."

Legolas and Aragorn both screwed up their faces with Aragorn mumbling "eww" while Jack spun around and talked excitedly.

"A wedding?! I love weddings...drinks all around!" Jack once again faced Norrington, who of course was giving him a dirty look.

Jack smiled meekly and held out his hands in front of him. "I know…clap him in irons, right?"

Norrington looked between the three of them. "Mr. Sparrow, you and your two friends will accompany these fine men to the helm and provide us with the bearing to Isla de Muerta. Then you three will spend the rest of the voyage contemplating all possible meanings of the phrase 'silent as the grave'. Do I make myself clear?"

Aragorn rolled his eyes and called Norrington an ass, while Jack informed Norrington that he had made himself inescapably clear. Legolas just continued to glare at the men around him who were whispering insults thinking he couldn't hear them. He was beginning to hate this place more and more with each passing second and prayed that this would all be over soon so he and Strider could finally get out of here, although this place didn't seem so bad with all the rum. Legolas cursed Elizabeth, why did she have to burn the rum?!

Legolas paced the room he was sharing with Aragorn and Jack, playing with the sword he had been given by one of the soldiers. He skillfully twirled the thin bladed sword in his hand and sighed, wishing he had his daggers and bow with him.

Aragorn didn't favor his sword either. He was used to his heaver broadsword and just altogether hated the lighter and in his opinion flimsy blade, which lead into a fifteen minute rant about how he was going to ring Barbossa's neck for not giving him back his weapons. Jack just smiled cockily and proudly stated that he had gotten his back, which earned him a pillow in the face from Aragorn.

Legolas laughed as Jack tossed the pillow back at the ranger, who easily dodged it and stuck out his tongue. Legolas had the suspicion that the fight was about to go all out when one of the guards Norrington had posted outside their room told them that they had reached their destination and to make their way above deck.

Aragorn swung his legs over the side of the bed and made his way over to Legolas, while Jack moved over to the chair in the corner of the room by the window to retrieve his pistol and sword. While he buckled his belt Jack watched the two friends again and had the feeling that like Aragorn had done, Legolas was keeping something about himself secret. Jack rubbed his chin.

"So Legolas, what exactly is your role in this Middle Earth?"

Legolas turned and faced Jack, who was watching the elf intently. "Are you also a Ranger, or royalty?"

"Prince." the elf answered with a small smile.

Jack just smirked. _I really know how to pick them_. "Oh I see. Well we better get going; don't want to keep precious Norrington waiting." With that Jack pushed past the two friends and began making his way up the stairs.

"You have some odd friends Estel."

Aragorn chuckled and patted the elf on the back as he began to follow Jack. "You're telling me."

Jack, Aragorn and Legolas were all seated in one of the small boats with Norrington, trying to figure out the best course of action.

"I don't care for the situation. Any attempt to storm the cave could turn into an ambush."

Jack inched his way closer to the Commodore. "Not if you're the one doing the ambushing. I go in to convince Barbossa to send his men out in their little boats. You and your mates return to the Dauntless and blast the beeJesus outta them with your little cannons, aye? What do you have to lose?" The pirate placed his hand on Norrington's shoulder.

"Nothing I'd lament being rid of." Norrington said, pushing Jack's hand off his shoulder with the barrel of his pistol.

Jack looked over his shoulder at Legolas and smirked evilly "Now, to be quite honest with you, there's still a slight risk for those aboard the Dauntless which includes the future Mrs. Commodore..."

Legolas caught on to what Jack was doing and nodded his head in agreement when the Commodore turned to him and Aragorn. "And what exactly is that Mr. Sparrow?"

After Jack briefly filled Norrington in about the pirate situation, he agreed to let the three go in and face Barbossa and to all of their amusement, especially Legolas', instructed that Elizabeth be locked away in his cabin.

Aragorn couldn't help but laugh. They were now pretty far into the cave and Jack still had a devilish smirk on his face as he rowed while Legolas was all out smiling. The last time he had seen him smile like that was when he had had the little run in with a baby skunk about a year or so back. Jack rowed the boat up onto the shallows and led the way up to where he and Aragorn had scouted out the unfolding scene.

"Remember what I told you Legolas; Norrington's men weren't as bad as we expected but Barbossa's will most certainly kill you. Just wait until Aragorn and I make our move."

Jack looked at the elf who at the moment was staring at Will with his jaw dropped. Jack began snapping his fingers in front of the elf's face gaining his attention.

"Did you hear a word I said?"

Legolas just nodded as he went back to staring at Will. Sighing, Jack and Aragorn began making their way through the sea of pirates towards Will.

"Beg your pardon, excuse us."

Will stood leaning over the gold pieces with a dagger digging into his throat and Barbossa chanting. "Begun by blood, by blood undone..." Barbossa stopped when Will called out Jack's name, and looking up sure enough was Jack approaching them with the ranger not far behind.

Barbossa shook his head in disbelief. "S'not possible."

"Not probable." corrected Jack.

Will stood up straighter and looking around realized that Elizabeth wasn't with them. "Where's Elizabeth?"

"She's safe, just like I promised. She's all set to marry Norrington, just like she promised. And you get to die for her, just like you promised. So we're all men of our words really, except for Elizabeth who is, in fact, a woman."

Barbossa rolled his eyes. "Shut up! You're next." Barbossa pushed Will back down and again placed the knife against his neck.

"You don't want to be doing that, mate."

Barbossa looked up and replied sarcastically. "No, I really think I do."

Jack shrugged. "Your funeral."

Barbossa moved the knife blade away from Will's neck and both straightened. "Why don't I want to be doing it?"

Jack began to move forward. "Well because..." Jack swiped one of the pirate's hands off his shoulder before he continued "…because the _HMS Dauntless_, pride of the Royal Navy, is floating just offshore…waiting for you."

Barbossa's men all grumbled at the news as Jack and Aragorn made their way up to Barbossa who was looking at them skeptically. Jack smirked.

"Just hear me out, mate. You order your men to row out to the Dauntless; they do what they do best." This drew a laugh from the pirates. "Bob's your uncle, Fannie's your aunt; there you are with two ships. The makings of your very own fleet. 'Course you'll take the grandest as your flagship and who's to argue? But what of the Pearl? Name me Captain, I'll sail under your colors, I'll give you ten percent of me plunder and you get to introduce yourself as…Commodore Barbossa. Savvy?"

Barbossa nodded and looked like he was seriously considering it. Then he gestured towards Will. "I s'pose in exchange you don't want me to kill the whelp."

"No, no, no at all by all means, kill the whelp. Just not yet. Wait to lift the curse…until the opportune moment. For instance..." Aragorn and Will both watched as Jack picked up a few pieces of the gold and began throwing them back as he spoke. "...after you've killed Norrington's men. Every…last…one."

Aragorn noticed Jack pocket a piece of the treasure. _What is he up to now?_

Will frowned, but Aragorn could see a hint of understanding dawning in his eyes. "You've been planning this from the beginning…the both of you have, ever since you learned my name."

"Yeah."

Aragorn nodded slightly and shrugged his shoulders. "Pretty much."

Barbossa looked Aragorn up and down. "And what part does the lad have in all of this?"

Jack smiled and placed his arm around Aragorn's shoulder and pulled him closer. "This here is my first mate."

Barbossa nodded "I want fifty percent of your plunder."

"Fifteen."

"Forty."

"Twenty-five and we'll buy you the hat…a really big one. Commodore."

Barbossa nodded. "We have an accord." Jack smiled and turning, he faced the crew and began ordering them to the boats when he realized that Barbossa was actually still in charge. "I apologize, you give the orders."

Barbossa just smirked. "Gents! Take a walk."

Aragorn watched as the men smiled and turned to make their way out of the cave. "They're not going to the boats?"

Legolas shifted around uneasily as the pirates approached his hiding place, there were no real good places to hide here and the elf cursed at the fact he was exposed and vulnerable. He scooted back a little further accidentally knocking a few rocks back. Legolas prayed that the pirates hadn't heard, but to his dismay, a few closest to him had. Legolas looked for a quick way to escape but he quickly realized that he had literally backed himself into a corner and would have no other choice but to fight these men.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything in reguards to LORD OF THE RINGS OR POTC. NO money is being made off of this story!**

Rangers and Pirates Chapter 13

Will glared at Jack and Aragorn as he was led down from where they stood on the mound of gold. Barbossa cast a careless glance at Will, then turned away to speak to Jack. Before he could open his mouth though, shouts could be heard coming from the other pirates, followed by the clear ringing of swords clashing.

Aragorn stiffened and turned to Jack wide-eyed, whispering, "They've found him!"

Sure enough when Jack looked up he could see Legolas trying to push his way through the mass of pirates that were trying to surround him. Jack couldn't help but be amazed at the elf's speed and accuracy. He was greatly outnumbered, but he easily took out his opponents. Jack knew though, that even though the prince showed no signs of tiring, there was no way the Legolas could keep up this pace forever.

Aragorn began to move towards his friend, but Jack quickly reached out and grabbed his hand, praying that Barbossa had overlooked the ranger's reaction. Aragorn was becoming panicked, but did his best to hide it as he watched his friend. Not taking his eyes off the elf, he whispered again to Jack. "I have to help him! Please Jack!"

Jack shook his head slightly. "You will both be killed!" he hissed back at the ranger.

Legolas swung his sword around, slicing through the throat of an advancing pirate, and then quickly sidestepped and dodged a blow from behind. He was ever so slightly off balance and another large pirate took advantage of this and shoved the prince with all his might, sending him tumbling down the mound of gold that the elf was standing on.

When he reached the bottom he quickly hopped to his feet, only to come face to face with more of Barbossa's men. Looking around for his sword, which had been lost in his fall, he spotted the steel blade mixed in with all the gold, about halfway up the pile. Legolas, being a light-footed elf, easily made his way back up the mound of gold while his pursuers slipped and slid on the loose pile of gold and gems.

Turning back around with the sword in his grasp he found that many of the pirates were looking between him and Will, who was in fact rather pale and staring wide-eyed at him. Legolas then glanced at Aragorn, who was being handed something by Jack. Legolas tried to make out what the object was, but his vision was obstructed by another pirate who had passed the two and was now making his way through his men towards the elf.

Legolas gripped his sword tighter. This man's glare was so icy it actually sent a slight chill down his spine. He must be _Barbossa_.

Barbossa looked around at his men before he spoke to Legolas. "You might as well drop your sword, Mr. Turner."

Jack rubbed a hand over his face, hiding his wince. _This isn't good, they think he's related to Bootstrap!_

Legolas frowned at Barbossa, who just smirked at him. "You aren't going to be able to save him now, so just drop your sword and take what is coming to you."

Legolas looked past Barbossa, somewhat confused, to Jack, who nodded for him to take Barbossa's orders. Sighing, he realized that no matter what he was going to be captured, plus he knew that Aragorn and Jack wouldn't let any harm befall him. Legolas reluctantly let his weapon slip from his fingers and stood as still as stone as a few pirates came up and grabbed him firmly by the arms. Nearly yanking the prince's arms out of their sockets, they dragged him down to stand in front of Barbossa.

Barbossa didn't say anything as he studied Legolas closer. His men also studied the elf prince, and took note of his pointed ears, upon which they began making fun of Legolas, pulling roughly at his ears. Legolas tried to shrug them off, but there were too many pirates to avoid, as the ones that were not pulling on his ears turned their attention to his hair and fair features.

The elf prince began to feel slightly claustrophobic as they swarmed in closer to him, yanking on his hair, clothes, anything that they could reach. Legolas finally lashed out, breaking free of one pirate's grip, smashing his palm up into the nose of a pirate who had been entertaining himself by trying to lead the elf around by the tips of his pointed ears. The man's nose broke with a satisfying crack, which just made the pirates surrounding Legolas mad, as they swarmed over the elf again, becoming more violent and unforgiving.

Barbossa just stepped out of the way and let his men go out of control taunting and torturing the one that the thought was Will's brother.

"Oh Commodore..."

Barbossa turned to see Jack standing behind him, grinning like an idiot. "Not to rush you, but there will be plenty of time to torture Turner's son or rather, sons later. The Dauntless is still waiting to be commandeered outside."

Barbossa just rolled his eyes and ordered his men once again to go and take a walk. Barbossa's men all grumbled about be ordered away from their new 'toy', but of course, none of them questioned their commodore, and began moving off on their mission to claim the Dauntless as their own.

Jack lowered his eyes when he was finally able to get a better look at the elf prince, who was being yanked up from the ground where he had been dropped. Small bruises were beginning to form on his face, and Jack was sure that there were more under his tunic as well. Legolas' hair and clothes were disheveled, and his ears bright red from being pulled at so hard. Jack finally caught the prince's eyes and flinched. The bright blue orbs were burning with hate and fury. Jack shook his head. He could only imagine how much the elf had hated having to hold back, and he had a feeling that if the two pirates holding his arms kept taunting the prince that they were all, save for Aragorn, going to find out what an elf could really do.

"Ummm… why don't you let Strider keep an eye on the two brothers…?"

Barbossa just shrugged and Jack took that as a 'yes'. He nodded to Aragorn, who needed no further prompting as he quickly jogged over to the elf and retrieved his friend from the pirates clutches. The ranger led Legolas back over to where Will stood with his jaw still hanging open. Legolas didn't acknowledge his look-alike as Aragorn loosely bound his hands behind his back.

The ranger tied the bonds so that they were tight enough to fool the pirates walking about, but also loose enough so Legolas could easily slip his hands out when the time came. "I am so sorry, _mellon nin_." whispered the ranger softly, so that only Legolas could hear.

Legolas nodded slightly. "It's not your fault; it's mine for being so careless."

Aragorn chuckled lightly. "This will make a great story for my brothers." He didn't wait for Legolas to respond before he went over to the pirates who had been holding Legolas again and retrieved the elf's sword.

For some reason, Barbossa couldn't stop smiling as he sat on the largest mound of gold and watched Jack rummage through their loot. "I must admit, Jack, I thought I had ye figured. But it turns out you're a hard man to predict."

Jack turned around and approached Barbossa with his entertaining gait, which Legolas hadn't really noticed until now. Legolas reacted much the same way that Aragorn had and bit his bottom lip to keep from laughing out loud.

"Me? I'm dishonest, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest… honestly. It's the honest ones that you have to watch out for, because you can never predict when they're going to do something incredibly…stupid."

That being his signal, Legolas slipped his hands out of the ropes and quickly untied Will's bonds, just as Jack and Aragorn tossed each of them a sword. Will managed to crack a slight smile at the elf in thanks as all four moved off in different directions as they fought.

Barbossa grinned evilly at Jack and took a step closer to him as they fought. "You're off the edge of the map, mate. Here there be monsters."

Jack spun away with Barbossa following, both of them making their way up a ledge where they continued to fight until Barbossa suddenly stopped and stood up straight. "You can't beat me, Jack…"

Jack was, of course, not listening and took the opportunity to impale Barbossa through the stomach. Barbossa looked to the right and sighed, before he pulled the sword out of his gut and plunged it into Jack's chest.

Both Legolas and Aragorn looked up at the sound of Jack gasping in shock, and to their horror, they saw Jack stumbling back somewhat, gripping the handle of the sword impaled through his body.

Out of the corner of his eye, Aragorn saw a pirate quickly coming up behind Legolas with his sword raised and ready to behead the elf. Aragorn pushed his friend out of the path of the blade just in time, but he didn't move fast enough to get out of its path himself. In an instant, Aragorn saw the flash of the silver blade and then felt the sickening sensation of it slicing through the soft, unprotected flesh of his throat.

Aragorn went wide-eyed as he automatically gripped his throat and felt the warm blood run freely down his hand and begin to soak the front of his tunic. Aragorn collapsed to his knees gasping for breath. He knew something wasn't right…he should be dead by now, but his body just burned with the intense need to get oxygen back into his starving lungs.

To Aragorn, everything seemed to be moving in slow motion, but of course it wasn't and Legolas was kneeling next in front of his friend in an instant as Will and Elizabeth, who had apparently escaped the Dauntless, worked together to try and keep the pirates away from the two friends.

Aragorn collapsed against the prince with tears running down his cheeks as he struggled for breath. Legolas tried to calm the young man as he shook violently against him but was failing miserably. Aragorn's lungs finally opened up and he inhaled deeply, causing him to cough uncontrollably.

"Take small breaths Estel…breathe with me."

Aragorn listened to his friend and after a few moments he had calmed himself and was finally breathing along with Legolas. Aragorn blinked rapidly as he pulled back from his friend, who had obviously shed a few tears, fearing that the ranger was dying.

Legolas reached out and touched Aragorn's once-severed neck, which was now completely healed and looked as though it had never been slit. 'Estel…how…I don't understand?!"

Reaching into his pocket, Aragorn pulled out the object Jack had handed him earlier. Barbossa had been watching the scene unfold. Now he frowned and looked back to Jack, who had stumbled into a shaft of moonlight coming in from the top of the cave. The cocky pirate was now like Barbossa and his crew, nothing more than some rotted flesh and clothes on bones.

"That's interesting…isn't it, Aragorn?"

Aragorn by now had risen to his feet and made his way over to the nearest patch of moonlight. The ranger stepped directly into the moonlight.

The sight Legolas saw would haunt his sleep for years as he watched his friend suddenly transform into a rotted skeleton. Aragorn, however, was oddly amused by the transformation and laughed as he looked at his skeletal hand. "That is interesting."

Reaching into his pocket, Jack pulled out his piece of the treasure and revealed it to Barbossa, flipping it back and forth on his fingers. "We just couldn't resist, mate."


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything in reguards to LORD OF THE RINGS OR POTC. NO money is being made off of this story!**

Rangers and Pirates Chapter 14

Elizabeth and Will stood side by side and looked between the skeletal versions of Jack and Aragorn with shock and uncertainty. Elizabeth glanced over at Will. "Whose side are they on?"

Will, who was still staring at the two, shrugged his shoulders. "At the moment…"

Frowning, he watched as Elizabeth ran back a little ways and grabbed something out of the shadows. She began making her way to the ranger and elf. Legolas was forced to jump back out of the way as Jack went speeding by him with a very pissed off Barbossa right on his heels.

"Sorry!" Jack called to Legolas in apology as he nearly slammed into the elf again.

"Are you all right?"

Legolas turned his attention back to Aragorn, who had made his way over to where he had left the elf prince. Aragorn frowned as he noticed that Legolas was still shaken up, and rather pale, even for an elf. "Aragorn, what is going on? How can you be cursed?"

Aragorn shook his head. How was he supposed to explain this turn of events to his friend when even he didn't understand it? He was saved from having to come up with an explanation by Elizabeth, who came running up to him, holding out his bow, quiver, and sword. "How did you get these? They were still on the _Pearl_." he asked her in shock as he took them from her.

Elizabeth just shrugged. "I went back to the _Pearl_ to try to find help, but the bloody pirates decided to stick to the Code, so the only things I could get together from the _Pearl_ were your weapons."

Aragorn smiled and nodded in thanks as Elizabeth turned and made her way back over to Will, who was taking on three pirates single-handedly and actually doing a good job of it. Aragorn grinned broadly as he fastened his sword-belt and sheath around his waist, and was about to do the same with his quiver when he noticed Legolas staring at him with puppy dog eyes. That was when the ranger remembered that Norrington's men had taken Legolas' weapons and they had not been returned to the elf.

"Here, go and enjoy yourself." Legolas looked like a little kid on Christmas morning as he ditched his sword and took his friend's bow and quiver. Aragorn chuckled as he watched the elf take off, firing arrows (which of course hit their targets true) as he went. Legolas was so happy to be rid of his sword that Aragorn was surprised he wasn't skipping as he went. _Do elves skip? I don't believe I've ever witnessed that… _Aragorn was drawn from his thoughts by one of the three pirates Will had been fighting protesting that something wasn't fair before all three of them blew up. The explosion sent gold and gems flying everywhere as Will dove out of the way of the blast.

"Aragorn!"

Turning in Jack's direction, he watched as Jack cut his palm with his sword and then bled on his coin. Aragorn figured that he was supposed to do the same, so he mimicked Jack's actions and then handed his coin off to Will as the blacksmith went running past, followed by Elizabeth. He started to follow as well, but came skidding to a halt behind Elizabeth when Barbossa suddenly pulled out his pistol and aimed it in their direction.

Aragorn felt his heart begin to race as he heard the pistol go off. Both he and Elizabeth stared wide-eyed at the pirate, but then when nothing happened, they came to the realization that it wasn't Barbossa's pistol that had gone off.

Barbossa looked down at his chest and then at Jack, who was standing a few feet away, his pistol smoking. "Ten years you carry that pistol and now you waste your shot."

"He didn't waste it." Will said in response to Barbossa. The pirate turned around to see Will standing on the top of the mound of gold, his closed hand held over the open chest of cursed gold. As Barbossa watched, the blacksmith opened his hand and three blood covered coins, Jack's, Aragorn's, and his own, dropped into the chest.

Legolas came up to Aragorn and watched as Barbossa pulled his jacket open, staring down at the hole in his chest right over his heart. As they all watched, blood began to leak from the wound. Barbossa looked up at Jack. "I feel…cold."

With that, the pirate collapsed to the ground, coming to rest on the pile of gold that he and his men had been hoarding for ten years. His left hand opened, and an apple fell out, landing in the water with a small splash.

Legolas sighed and shook his head, before beginning to walk over to Jack's side, following Aragorn. A golden flash caught his eye as he came abreast of Barbossa's body. Leaning over, he retrieved the dagger that the pirate had been about to use to cut Will's throat. He examined it, and with a small smile creeping over his face, found that it was identical to the one he had used and needed to perform the spell to return him and Aragorn to Middle-Earth. He stuck the dagger and sheath into his boot, and then joined Aragorn, who was standing about five feet away from Will and Elizabeth.

Will and Elizabeth looked at each other with sadness reflecting in both their eyes. A crash sounded from further in the cave as Jack tossed a piece of the treasure that he didn't want into another pile. Elizabeth finally broke the uncomfortable silence. "We should return to the Dauntless."

Will nodded with a look of betrayal spreading across his face. "Your fiancé will be wanting to know you are safe."

Aragorn and Legolas both frowned at Elizabeth as she moved past them. Neither one could believe that after everything Will had done for her; she was still going to marry Norrington. _He's better off without her_, was Aragorn's thought on the matter.

Out of nowhere, Aragorn heard Legolas chuckle slightly. Looking around to see what the elf was laughing at, he saw Jack, arms laden full of treasure, with a crown perched on his head, walk over to Will. The pirate looked at Will. "If you were waiting for the opportune moment…that was it."

Jack then walked over to Aragorn and looked him up and down. "You're missing something, mate." The pirate dug through the pile of treasure in his arms and pulled out a second crown.

Aragorn narrowed his eyes, trying to warn the pirate with his gaze. _He'd better not stick that thing on my head_. Jack apparently didn't see, or chose to ignore, the look Aragorn was giving him and sure enough, placed the elaborate white and yellow gold crown on the ranger's head.

Stepping back a few paces, he cocked his head to the side and looked Aragorn up and down again. "It's a fittin' look for you mate; well you know, since you are a king…" he turned away from Aragorn. "…now if you'll be so kind, I'll be much obliged if you'd drop me at my ship."

Legolas chuckled again as Aragorn continued to glare at the retreating pirate, while Will was now pestering them all about whether or not Strider really was a king. Aragorn grabbed the crown off his head and then, much to Will's amusement, chucked it at the back of Jack's head. The crown sailed through the air and hit the pirate perfectly. Will doubled over laughing as Jack began scrambling around to gather up the trinkets that he had dropped when the crown hit his head. Thankfully, Aragorn hadn't thrown the crown very hard, so Jack didn't get any injury from the crown.

Legolas laughed and informed his friend that he was hopeless as he jogged over to Jack to make absolutely certain that the pirate was fine, while Aragorn joined in on Will's uncontrolled laughter. "Jack, are you okay?"

Jack looked up to see the elf, and then over his shoulder. "I'm glad to see those two have finally bonded."

Legolas frowned slightly. "Jack, in case you didn't get it the other night, Aragorn isn't exactly proud of his heritage and tries to keep it quiet."

Jack sighed, realizing that he had maybe gone too far. He prepared himself to receive a lecture from Legolas, who instead just patted him on the shoulder and handed him the last of his treasure. "Let's get you to your ship before it's too late, _mellon nin_."

Legolas and Aragorn both rolled their eyes as Will ran through the events that had been unfolding in Middle-Earth and where they were now and tried to piece them together, for the eighth time in a row. Legolas didn't really mind his double, he had certainly taken to the whole elf thing a lot quicker than Elizabeth (although not by much) and it wasn't hard to figure out that Will was a good man. He had a good heart, but he was just too suspicious of people.

The questions came to a halt as they exited the cave, only to find that the _Black Pearl_ and its crew had sailed away, leaving Jack behind. Legolas laid a hand on the pirate's shoulder in sympathy as Elizabeth expressed hers. "I'm sorry, Jack."

Jack remained unmoving as he continued to stare off into the distance. "They done what's right by them; can't expect any more than that."

Will lowered his eyes and shook his head, while Aragorn voiced what they were all thinking. "They are stupid pirates and it's a stupid code!"

Aragorn pulled Legolas off to the opposite side of the room and slipped into the elven tongue. "Let's bring Jack back with us. Norrington will kill him if he stays here."

Legolas, once again wearing the black robe he had arrived in, looked back at Jack, who was lighting the candles they had found with Elizabeth, while Will watched the door. Having no other choice, they had gone back to the Dauntless, where Norrington had lectured Will and informed Legolas, Jack, and Aragorn that they should start contemplating, 'silent as the grave'.

Not long after this, the four were dragged down to the room that all of them except for Will had occupied earlier, where they decided that they sooner Aragorn and Legolas returned to Middle-Earth, the better.

"I know, but I don't think Gandalf will appreciate us bringing him back…besides, do you think he would even go?" Legolas asked.

Aragorn shrugged. "We'll never know unless we ask…I can't just leave him behind."

Legolas nodded. "I know…" Turning from Aragorn he made his way over to Jack and asked him to go with them.

Jack was surprised by the elf's question and was very tempted to take him up on the offer. After all, the governor had already pardoned Will, and of course nothing was going to be done to Elizabeth, but he was still doomed to be hung when they returned to Port Royal. But then he started to have second thoughts. He knew that he would be staying with Legolas, or more than likely, Aragorn, and even though the ranger's elven brothers seemed like a world of fun he would always feel out of place living among elves. Besides, the life of a ranger most certainly didn't appeal to him. He looked past Legolas to Aragorn, whose face was full of pleading, and slowly shook his head no.

"It's a generous offer, but I would never be happy there, much like you two would never be happy here." Legolas nodded in understanding. This was the answer he had been expecting. He would have been very surprised if the pirate had accepted his offer.

"But you are fated to die here!" Aragorn protested in distress. After everything that they had been through he considered Jack a good friend, and he couldn't just go home knowing and living with the fact that Jack was going to be killed.

Jack smiled slightly and pushed past Legolas, making his way over to Aragorn. Once he stood in front of the ranger, he placed one hand on each of the ranger's shoulders and forced Aragorn to look into his eyes. "We both have fates awaiting us Estel…"

Jack grinned broadly when Aragorn responded to him fully at the use of his elvish name. "…it just comes down to what a man can and cannot do. For instance, I have accepted that even though I don't like it, I am fated to die. But you still have to decide what you can and cannot accept. Like, for instance, accepting whatever was in the past and becoming king, or not and sticking to the path you are on now…"

Jack paused as Aragorn cast a nasty look in Legolas' direction. Obviously the ranger had figured out what the two had been chatting about on the 'great candle search'. "…you're a good man Aragorn, and your destiny is your own."

Aragorn sighed. He knew Jack was right and he hated accepting Jack's fate. But what he hated most was that Jack was right about him, but he still didn't know what he could accept. He voiced that to the older man standing in front of him.

Jack just smiled. "You'll figure it out for yourself soon enough."

Aragorn smiled slightly at Jack, who pulled him into an embrace and wished him the best of luck before he stepped away from him and went to join Will by the door.

"Are you ready Estel?"

Aragorn nodded yes to Legolas, and then made his way over to the circle of candles and suddenly froze as his foresight kicked in. When his eyes were no longer glassy, he smiled and looked to where Jack stood with Will.

"_Elen sila lumen omentilmo mellon nin_ A star shall shine on the hour of our meeting my friend." With that, Aragorn turned his attention to the spell. "Tonight I consciously leave my body…"

Elrond still occupied the chair next to his son's bed. It had been three days since Legolas had jumped into Aragorn's dream, and both he and Thranduil were beginning to fear more than ever that they were both lost forever, since there had been no change. The Lord of Rivendell had been slipping in and out of uneasy sleep, and he often dreamed of Aragorn's waking, so when he heard his son call his name, he dismissed it as still being one of his dreams.

Elrond's eyes widened when he felt Aragorn gently squeeze his hand, and saw that his eyes were open and alert. "Estel?!"

Elrond sat down on the bed next to Aragorn and pulled the young human into his arms, giving him a tight embrace which Aragorn returned. The elf lord pulled back from his son and looked him over. His skin suddenly looked more bronzed than it had only a minute ago, and he also noticed that Aragorn's clothes, hair, and skin all smelled of the sea. "Estel what happened?"

Aragorn cringed somewhat, then laughed lightly. "It's a rather long story, and I may need Legolas' help with the end." Aragorn nodded to Legolas, who still sat cross-legged on the floor, but was looking around the room and taking in his surroundings instead of staring off blankly into space.

"Welcome back Legolas."

Legolas smiled broadly at Elrond until the elf lord announced that he was going to go and find Thranduil and Gandalf so that they could tell their story. Legolas groaned and tried to get up, but soon discovered that after three days of sitting on the floor in the position he was in had caused his legs to go completely numb.

"Ummm…Aragorn? Do you think you can help me up?" Aragorn laughed as he slipped off the side of the bed and began trying to pull the numb-legged elf to his feet. After a few minutes, Aragorn gave up and plopped down on the floor next to his friend.

"I think you're going to be stuck in that spot forever."

"Well, after my father hears our tale of monster pirates I am never going to be leaving this palace again!" Legolas said with a sigh.

Aragorn couldn't help himself as he started laughing. Seeing an almost three thousand year old elf worried about being grounded was just too funny.

Legolas grumbled at his friend. "What are you laughing about? Do you think your father's going to be any happier?"

Aragorn just smiled. "We'll soon find out."

_Two weeks later…_

Aragorn scooted closer to the fire to try and chase off the chill that had invaded his body. He smiled when Legolas came to sit down next to him.

"Are you ever going to tell me what your foresight showed you?" Legolas asked, referring to their last moments in the Caribbean when Aragorn's foresight had triggered.

Aragorn just smiled and stared into the fire. It had been well over a week since he and Legolas had awoken from their 'dream'. Elrond had traveled back to Rivendell accompanied by Gandalf a few days before the twins and Aragorn had decided to take their leave of Mirkwood. To their delight, Legolas had been given permission to come and spend the winter in Rivendell.

"Well…" Legolas asked when Aragorn didn't answer him.

"All right you pushy elf, I believe we're going to be seeing our dear pirate friends at least one more time."

Legolas just looked at his friend. "Are you sure?"

Aragorn yawned and lay down on his bedroll. "Well, we'll know soon enough."

Legolas shook his head and lay down next to Aragorn. _Valar, please let him be wrong_.

"Aragorn…"

Aragorn grumbled and pulled his blanket over his head. He really wasn't a morning person. "Give me five more minutes Legolas, please."

"Umm Aragorn, I'm not Legolas."

Aragorn's eyes snapped open. He rolled onto his back and came face to face with Will. The ranger jumped to his feet. "Shit!" Looking around, he realized that he was back in the blacksmith shed in Port Royal.

"Looks like you were right, Estel." Aragorn looked in the direction of his friend's voice and spotted Legolas sitting on the ground next to the door, with his head propped in his hands.

Aragorn ran his hand through his tangled hair knocking out a few pieces of straw that had been stuck in it as he faced Will. "Where's Jack?"


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything in reguards to LORD OF THE RINGS OR POTC. NO money is being made off of this story!**

Rangers and Pirates Chapter 15

Meanwhile in the square…

Jack stood staring blankly out at the crowd of people who had gathered to witness his execution. A soldier nearby began to read the list of crimes that he had been convicted of. Suddenly, he found himself wishing that he had gone with Strider. _I am an idiot_.

"Jack Sparrow, be it known that you have…"

Jack rolled his eyes and murmured to himself. "CAPTAIN, Captain Jack Sparrow."

"…for your willful commission of crimes against the crown. Said crimes being numerous in quantity and sinister in nature. The most grievous of these to be sited herewith: piracy, smuggling…"

Elizabeth stood nearby with her father and Commodore Norrington. "This is wrong."

Governor Swann just eyed his daughter. "Commodore Norrington is bound by the law, as are we all."

Elizabeth just made a face and blocked out her father as she listened again to Jack's charges.

"…impersonating an officer of the Spanish Royal Navy, impersonating a cleric of the Church of England…"

Jack smiled fondly at that memory. "Oh yes."

Aragorn stood with Legolas and Will behind a pillar listening to Jack's charges as well. Once he had found out where Jack was and what Will was planning, he and Legolas hadn't thought twice about volunteering their help to Will. Aragorn smiled, halfway amused as the list continued to include sailing under false colors, kidnapping, looting, arson, and so on. "Is there anything Jack hasn't done?"

Legolas just laughed. "Apparently not."

Will began to move off towards Elizabeth smirking somewhat as he went. _There really isn't anything he hasn't done_.

Will let the smirk fall from his face and stood tall with an emotionless face as he stopped in front of the Commodore and Governor Swann. "Governor Swann, Commodore…" Both men nodded at him. "…Elizabeth." She turned at looked at him and he drew a deep breath before he continued. "I should have told you every day from the moment I met you… I love you."

Elizabeth smiled at his words, but her smile quickly faded as Will turned and began to push his way through the crowd, closer to the gallows. She then noticed a hooded figure moving in the same direction, and recognized the hood as being the one that Aragorn had always worn. _How did he get back here_?

A bird squawked nearby, and she turned to her right to see Cotton's parrot sitting on a flagpole. Just beyond that she caught sight of Legolas creeping stealthily up the staircase on the far wall. She smiled ever so slightly and gripped her stomach and chest. "I can't breathe." She fell backwards in a pretend faint, drawing her father and Norrington's attention away from Jack's three rescuers and towards her.

Jack looked up when he heard Will shouting for the crowd to move, and watched as the blacksmith tried to push his way through the gathered people, who were beginning to scream as they caught sight of his drawn sword.

In the blink of an eye however, the executioner pulled on the trapdoor release lever and Jack felt the floor drop out from under him. He had been preparing to feel the noose tighten around his neck, but instead came to an abrupt halt when his feet landed on something. Glancing down her could see Will's narrow sword under his feet. _That's a REALLY wonderful trick_.

But because the sword was so narrow, Jack found himself struggling to keep his feet balanced on it as Will dashed up to the platform to fight the executioner and keep him away from Jack. Jack's shoes began slipping off the surface of the sword and he found himself struggling even more to keep balanced on the sword blade.

Thankfully, he didn't have to struggle for long as a whistling noise pierced the air. The next thing he heard was the rope tearing and feeling it give way, which caused him to land hard on the ground. Sitting up slightly he frowned when he saw a dark-colored arrow shaft with green and gold feathers protruding from the wooden post where it had embedded itself. _It can't be…_ Jack jumped involuntarily when a pair of firm hands grabbed his bonded ones and hauled him to his feet. The pirate's eyes widened when a familiar being smiled at him from beneath a hooded cloak. "Aragorn?"

Aragorn didn't respond at first. He unsheathed a dagger and sliced through the bonds on Jack's hands. He looked at Jack once the pirate's hands were free. "Did you think I would just turn my back and leave you to die?"

Jack shook his head no and then pulled the noose over his head and off his neck and both he and Aragorn took off with Will following close behind.

Legolas began to make his way back down the steps, but found that his path had been blocked by a group of soldiers that were climbing the stairs and advancing on him. The prince turned, intending to go back the other way, but found that he was now pinned in by another group of soldiers coming from behind him. He eyed the drop to the ground; it was somewhere between twelve to fifteen feet long. Legolas made a face, he didn't really feel like making that drop, but he had jumped from higher places in his life. He vaulted off the stairs and hurtled towards the ground. He surprised a great many people when he landed sure-footed and almost immediately took off running. Thanks to his natural speed, he quickly caught up to his companions and helped them to fight off the soldiers.

Jack and Will were using the long length of rope that had been the noose to trip the soldiers and to make them crash into each other. At one point, Aragorn and Legolas dropped back to handle several of the guards and to give Will and Jack a better lead on the soldiers. However, they were soon nearly overwhelmed and were forced to retreat again. They turned and ran up a small flight of steps in time to see Will and Jack flip and roll past a few of Norrington's men.

"Are we supposed to do that?" Aragorn asked.

Legolas didn't answer, but instead shoved the ranger forward after Will and Jack. The foursome didn't get much further before they were completely surrounded. Jack now stood with Will, Aragorn, and Legolas surrounding him, defending him from the soldiers with swords drawn, except for Legolas who had his bow drawn and an arrow notched and ready to fly.

Norrington came up to them and pointed his blade at Will. "I thought that we might have to endure some manner of ill conceived escape attempt, but not from you. And I didn't think that they were fool enough to come back here."

Legolas looked back over his shoulder at Norrington. "_Amin feuya ten'lle _You disgust me."

Norrington of course, didn't reply, but the governor took a step forward and addressed Will. "Upon our return to Port Royal I granted you clemency and this is how you thank me? By throwing in your lot with him? He's a pirate!"

Aragorn rolled his eyes. The people of this time were incredibly narrow minded, but Will's response surprised him.

"And a good man…"

Aragorn smirked as Jack pointed at himself proudly.

"…If all I have achieved here is that the hang man will earn two pairs of boots instead of one then so be it. At least my conscience will be clear."

"You forget your place, Turner." Norrington said softly, his voice deadly.

Will didn't back down. "It's right here, between you and Jack."

Elizabeth pushed her way through the soldiers to stand with the four men, next to Will. "As is mine."

Everyone just stared in shock at her for a moment, until the governor ordered the soldiers to stand down, which they did reluctantly.

Norrington looked heart-broken as he stared at Elizabeth. "So this is where your heart truly lies?"

She nodded. "It is."

Aragorn almost pitied him at this moment until he remembered what Norrington was really like, and then the ranger lost all sympathy for Norrington.

There were a few moments of awkward silence, until Jack looked up and saw Cotton's parrot flying overhead. The pirate captain smiled as he realized that the Black Pearl must be nearby. Jack tapped Aragorn on the shoulder, and when the young ranger looked at his friend, Jack nodded up at the parrot. "It's time we went our separate ways. Remember what I told you."

Aragorn nodded sadly as Jack leaned in closer to Legolas and whispered a soft thank you to the elf prince, before he stepped away from the group protecting him and made his way boldly up to the governor. "Well, I'm actually feeling rather good about this. I think we've all reached a very special place. Spiritually, ecumenically, grammatically…" The governor winced and turned his head away from Jack.

Next Jack leaned in closer to Norrington and tapped him on the chest. "I want you to know that I was rooting for you, mate. Know that." Norrington looked confused, and Jack seized that moment to back closer to Elizabeth and Will.

"Elizabeth." When she looked over at him, he gave her a sad look and shook his head. "It would never have worked between us darling. I'm sorry." Legolas couldn't hold back the laugh that escaped him as Elizabeth gave the pirate her usual death glare, while Will looked at Jack with confusion for the reference.

Jack backed a bit closer to the wall. "Will… nice hat." Jack said and Will grinned in response as he looked up at his large plumed hat.

The group watched as Jack hopped up a few steps and continued to back toward the wall. The soldiers immediately moved to detain him again, but Jack continued to back away from them. "Men! This is the day that you will always remember as the day that you…"

The pirate's speech cut off as he backed up to far and toppled over the wall, his arms failing as he fell towards the water below the cliff. Aragorn and Legolas were the first to reach the wall and saw Jack resurface below them. They were joined a moment later by Will, Elizabeth, Norrington and his men, and Governor Swann. Norrington's second in command laughed. "Idiot. He has nowhere to go except back to the noose."

Legolas smiled at Aragorn as his keen elven sight caught sight of billowing black sails coming into the bay. He nudged the younger man and nodded toward the ship, watching as Aragorn smiled as well.

Aragorn watched as Jack began to swim towards the Pearl, but the smile faded from his face as he felt a pulling on his mind. Legolas picked up on the sudden change. "What's wrong?"

Aragorn tried to shake off the feeling, but it just grew stronger and everything seemed to become more distant and far off, and even though he was there, it felt as if he was watching events unfold instead of playing his part in them.

Legolas smiled. "I think our time here is coming to an end Strider."

Aragorn sighed. "You feel it too?"

The elf nodded at the ranger, and then realized that the soldiers had actually moved away from them, or rather, they were ignoring them as they usually did. Legolas turned as Norrington called Will over to him.

Elizabeth reached out and grabbed Will's arm, stopping his forward motion. Obviously she was afraid of what Norrington was going to do to Will. Will smiled sadly at her. "I will accept the consequences of my actions." He approached Norrington, stopping in front of the commodore.

Norrington raised his sword again and placed the blade near Will's neck. Aragorn and Legolas both held their breaths as they watched. The commodore looked the blade up and down before he spoke. "This is a beautiful sword. I would expect the man who made it to show the same care and devotion in every aspect of his life."

Will nodded and smiled at Norrington as he thanked the man, before he moved back to Elizabeth. Aragorn thought that he and Legolas had gotten off free as Norrington began to leave, but the soldier who had called Jack an idiot stopped him. "Commodore! What about Sparrow and his two companions here?"

Aragorn straightened under the glare that Norrington gave he and Legolas, but was both surprised and relieved at the man's response as his glare changed to a confident smile. "Well, I think that we can afford to give all three one day's head start." With that, Norrington turned and walked back into the fort.

Aragorn didn't know why he felt relieved, after all it wasn't like he and Legolas were stuck here the way they were before, but it was still a relief.

"So, this is the path you've chosen, is it? After all…" Elizabeth looked from Will to her father. "…he is a blacksmith."

Elizabeth smiled and studied Will for a moment. Then she reached up and removed Will's hat. "No. He's a pirate." Will cupped her cheek, and then lowered his head and kissed her. She returned the kiss, and it quickly grew deeper and more passionate.

Aragorn turned away from the unfolding scene and looked back at the bay, joining Legolas in watching what was happening on the Black Pearl. Aragorn strained his eyes as he watched Jack get heaved over the railing and onto the ship. Aragorn began moving around, trying to see if he could get a better view of what was going on, but he couldn't. "Legolas…"

The prince didn't even wait for Aragorn to finish his question. "There is a man helping Jack stand…"

Aboard the Black Pearl…

Jack looked up at Gibbs. "I thought you were supposed to keep to the code."

Gibbs smiled. "We figured they were more actual guidelines." Bending down he offered Jack a hand up, which the captain accepted and then Gibbs led him over to the steering wheel where Cotton handed him his hat.

Jack smiled and nodded. "Thank you." He placed the hat on his head.

"Captain Sparrow…" Coming up behind him, Ana Maria draped a coat around his shoulders. "…the Black Pearl is yours."

Jack walked up to the wheel slowly and once it was before him he rubbed his hand along it and smiled as he remembered the many journeys he had had aboard this ship, and the ones that he would still have. But he didn't think that any of them would ever compare to this last voyage, where he had fought undead pirates alongside a future king and an elf prince from another world. _I really know how to pick 'em_.

Suddenly he snapped back to reality and saw that his crew was all smiling at his obvious loss of attention. He began barking orders to them, and they all scrambled to obey. Once they were all attending to their tasks, he glanced back in the direction of the fort, where he could see the ranger and the elf before he took out his compass and stepped behind the wheel. He nodded at his friends, uncertain if they could see him, but thanking them nonetheless.

"Now…bring me that horizon." Jack said to himself as he glanced down at his compass. He began to hum. "Da a dad a da. And really bag eggs…drink up me 'earties yo ho!"

Back in Middle-Earth…

Aragorn and Legolas rode next to each other in silence. After Jack began to sail away with the Pearl, the two had been woken by the twins, who were slightly panicked. Apparently they had slipped into a similar state of 'dream' as before. Only this time it only took a cold bucket of water to wake them up.

Aragorn chuckled. Elrond was going to love the story that went along with Elrohir's black eye, courtesy of a cranky, wet Legolas and a fifteen minute chase through the woods.

"What's so funny Estel?" Legolas asked. Aragorn grinned even more as he turned to the elf.

"I was just thinking about my brother's black eye…"

Legolas rolled his eyes. "Aragorn…that's the last time that we are going to see them, right? I mean, no more unexpected trips?"

Aragorn reined in his horse and stared off to the horizon. "Well, I don't know…"

Legolas stopped his horse as well and looked at his friend, slightly worried. "What are you saying?"

"Remember, I said at LEAST once more." Aragorn grinned mischievously and wiggled his eyebrows at the elf, who shook his head and nudged his horse back into a walk.

"No offence, but I hope we won't be running into them again."

Aragorn laughed as he watched his friend ride off after the twins. The wind suddenly picked up and whipped the ranger's hair around him, and Aragorn picked up the faint scent of the ocean, mixed with the fragrance of wildflowers. The ranger once again looked off to the horizon and smiled contently. _I'm a pirate, or was…ah who cares!_

"Now, bring me that horizon…da a dad a da. And really bad eggs. Drink up me 'earties, yo ho!"

THE END…for now…

_I hope you enjoyed this little tale! If you did, be sure to check out the sequel,_ **Pirates in the Fellowship**!


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